More than 80 children sickened by food poisoning in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Officials say more than 80 schoolchildren in Cambodia have fallen ill after eating contaminated food distributed by a local volunteer group.

The primary school students in the southern province of Takeo became sick Tuesday after eating fried rice, sausage and milk.

Chea Vann, the governor of Tram Kak district, where the incident took place, told police that all of the victims had the same symptoms — diarrhea and vomiting.

He said Wednesday that the children have been sent to hospitals, and that all were in stable condition.

Such mass outbreaks of food poisoning are not uncommon in Cambodia, where checks on food are rare and safety regulations lax.