Thirty-two students who suffered suspected food poisoning in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province had been discharged from hospital on Friday, but 22 others are still receiving treatment.

The students, from Qiqihar Medical School, were sent to hospital on Wednesday night, when 171 developed symptoms of nausea and vomiting after having supper at the school canteen.

The hospital source said on Friday the symptoms of the sick students were diminishing or had disappeared.

Preliminary investigations showed the students may have come down with food poisoning, but local health and disease prevention and control departments have taken samples from school meals over the last several days for further testing.

The municipal government of Qiqihar has ordered a check-up of food safety at all schools immediately after the incident.

On Monday, 223 high school students in northwest China's Shaanxi Province fell ill with food poisoning after they ate a school lunch. 

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2006)