By Cai Siyun, Vision Times
A mysterious wave of illness has gripped a primary school in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, where dozens of 6th grade students have been suffering from recurring symptoms including dizziness, vomiting, muscle tremors, and numbness since early September. Despite multiple hospitalizations, the cause of the mass sickness remains unknown — and some parents say they’ve even received critical condition notices for their children.
According to reports from “Red Star News,” the outbreak occurred at Lingdong Village campus of Maoping Central Primary School in Luozehe Town, Yiliang County. Parents said the illnesses began on Sept. 3 and have continued for nearly two months. Several children have been hospitalized repeatedly, yet no hospital has provided a definitive diagnosis.
On Oct. 25, staff from the Zhaotong Education Bureau confirmed that both city and county authorities were investigating the situation, though “specific details are still being verified.”
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Sudden onset of symptoms
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Parents described how the school year began in early September with overcrowding at the main Maoping campus. Sixth-grade students were temporarily reassigned to the Lingdong Village branch. Students took lunch and dinner on campus, with evening study sessions following dinner.
Ms. Zhou, the mother of one affected student, recalled receiving a distressing late-night call on Sept. 3. “At 11:56 p.m., my son’s teacher called to say he had fallen ill,” she told reporters. When she and her husband rushed to the school, they found chaos on the playground — students crying and collapsing. “My son was drenched in sweat and said his hands and feet were numb.”
Doctors at the county hospital initially told her that her son’s condition was “not serious,” treating him with IV fluids and medication. Many other students were also being treated that night. Her son mentioned that the school dinner had included zucchini that “tasted raw and bitter.” Drinking water was supplied through bottled water dispensers.
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Though her son seemed to recover after taking medication, he relapsed two days later. On Sept. 5, the school called again — this time reporting vomiting and abdominal pain. The boy was admitted to Zhaotong First People’s Hospital for five days, where his condition worsened to the point that the hospital issued a critical condition notice.
According to the medical report, the boy suffered “dizziness and bilateral leg tremors for three days” and was admitted at 12:26 a.m. on Sept. 6. Examination records stated: “He was conscious but acutely ill in appearance. His neck was soft, throat red, and both tonsils swollen with visible white pus.” The hospital listed potential causes including bacterial or viral infection, natural toxin poisoning, mass psychogenic illness, or water contamination, but the cause remained “undetermined.” He was treated symptomatically for suspected food poisoning or acute purulent tonsillitis.
After being discharged on Sept. 10, the boy returned to school — only to relapse with vomiting and convulsions. He suffered subsequent episodes on Sept. 30 and Oct. 6.
More students affected
Another parent, Ms. Liu, reported her son had nearly identical symptoms. His condition improved temporarily before recurring several times. On Sept. 6, doctors at Kunming Medical University’s Northeast Yunnan Clinical College also issued her a critical notice, diagnosing him with “food poisoning or intestinal infection” and “abnormal liver function.” The hospital prescribed liver-protective medication and IV therapy.
Despite visiting multiple hospitals across different cities, parents said the underlying cause remains elusive. “We just want to know what’s making our children sick,” one parent told reporters. “Until the cause is found, they can’t truly recover.”
Insiders told reporters that on Sept. 8, the school relocated all students from the Lingdong branch back to the main Maoping campus. However, children who had already fallen ill continued to relapse, while students who had never attended the Lingdong branch showed no symptoms.
Parents fear long-term damage
Ms. Li, another mother, told Jimu News she has taken her child to three different hospitals. “Each time, he gets a little better, but once he’s home, it starts again — numb legs, fever, sweating so much his clothes are soaked, even ringing in his ears and blurred vision,” she said. Li added that several classmates remain hospitalized and that her son “doesn’t seem as sharp as before — his reactions are slower now.”
The parents’ accounts have sparked a wave of public concern online. Many suspect food poisoning or heavy metal contamination caused by polluted water or soil. Some speculate a viral outbreak such as avian flu could be responsible.
One commenter wrote, “The school should be sealed off and everything from the food to the water supply tested. The education bureau can’t handle this alone.” Another urged the local government to “form an expert team immediately to investigate the school, not just rely on hospitals. Parents should bring their own food and water to see if symptoms stop — that would show whether it’s the school’s water or food.”
Others noted that “any gourd-family vegetable — pumpkin, winter melon, zucchini, or cucumber — that tastes bitter or spoiled can cause poisoning. It should not be ignored.”
Observers and online netizens have centered on why the case was not reported sooner. “This started on Sept. 3 — and only now, nearly two months later, are we hearing about it,” one user wrote, while another added, “What kind of people are managing this school? Are we really going to let our next generation be destroyed by those who turn a blind eye?”
As of now, local authorities have not released official findings. With students continuing to fall ill and parents desperate for answers, the mystery surrounding the Yunnan primary school outbreak underscores growing public distrust in local accountability and transparency within China’s education and health systems.
