GURGAON: The Fortis hospital in Gurgaon has seen a string of unusual patients over the past fortnight – its own nurses. Some of them even had to be admitted in the hospital’s ICU.

About 50 members of Fortis Memorial Research Institute’s (FMRI) nursing staff have fallen sick because of what doctors suspect is water contamination at the hostels where these employees stay.

The seven hostels – A to G – run by the hospital administration accommodate 450 nurses, both men and women, officials said. They are located less than a kilometre from the hospital premises in Sector 44, at Kanhai village.

The food for the entire staff is cooked in nursing hostel ‘C’. Some nurses fell sick around a fortnight ago but the number has gone up in the past couple of days as cases of diarrhoea and vomiting have seen a spurt. According to sources, cooks, security guards and other support staff have also fallen sick and are undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.

A doctor at FMRI said, “In the past two-three days, the number of nurses who have fallen sick has increased substantially. Some of them are in a serious condition due to which they were admitted in ICU. The hostellers complained of severe diarrhoea and vomiting and it is suspected that the water used for cooking in the hostel run by the hospital is contaminated.”

The water is supplied by the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon. Local municipal councillor Saroj said no other instance of ailments due to water contamination had been reported from the village. “There has been no such case in Kanhai and we have been getting good quality water in the recent past,” said Saroj.

A support staff at the hostel said, “Though the water used here is supplied by the MCG, we also have submersible pumps and a water treatment plant in the hostel. But since Monday, we have been getting bottled water to cook food. On Tuesday, we brought 70 large water cans from the hospital.”

A spokesperson for Fortis said water samples had been sent for tests. “Some of our nurses residing at a hostel near Kanhai village reported in sick with moderate symptoms of gastroenteritis. They were promptly treated for the same and are now well. The cause is likely water contamination. The results of the tests are awaited,” the spokesperson added.