More than 100 middle school students have been sickened with bacillary dysentery in east China's Anhui Province, confirmed local authorities on Sunday.

Over 100 students in Xincang Middle School in Taihu county have seen doctors after developing symptoms of diarrhea since Friday, according to the authorities.

More than 70 students have once been hospitalized and by press time, 34 were still receiving medical treatment in hospital, the authorities said, adding that all the students are in stable condition.

The provincial center of diseases control and prevention has diagnosed the patients as having bacillary dysentery after testing their drinking water and excrement.

The center said unclean drinking water was blamed for the poisoning.

The local education authorities has ordered students not to drink unboiled water and schools to crank up sanitation campaigns immediately after the incident.

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2006)