Seventy-six students and teachers at a kindergarten in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have fallen ill in a suspected food poisoning case, local hospital sources said Monday.

The students and teachers in Elfin Kindergarten in Baotou City started to show symptoms of fever and vomiting on September 24.

A total of 76 people were receving treatment in nearby hospitals by Monday afternoon, according to the hospitals' accounting. They were diagnosed with contagious dysenteric viruses.

The Elfin Kindergarten is private-owned and has more than 400 students and teachers. More than 280 children dined at the kindergarten when the incident happened on September 24.

Local health authorities are still investigating the cause of the incident.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2009)