Secret ingredient: dozens of people fell ill with intestinal infection in Pyatigorsk

Last weekend, it became known about the mass poisoning in Pyatigorsk. On Monday, June 1, the number of cases jumped to 50 people, many are in the hospital. There are also children among the injured. The details of the incident are in the Izvestia article.

Mass poisoning in Pyatigorsk: victims, investigation

On Saturday, May 30, the head of Pyatigorsk, Dmitry Voroshilov, announced in his channel on MAX that people with intestinal infection had been hospitalized after visiting one of the city's cafes. Then nine people were admitted to the city infectious diseases hospital.

He also said that the circumstances of the incident were being established, and Rospotrebnadzor specialists were involved in the investigation of the incident. The institution itself was closed.

On the same day, the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Stavropol Territory organized an inspection on the grounds of a crime under Article 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("provision of services that do not meet safety requirements for the life and health of consumers").

Photo: RF Investigative Committee

On May 31, the regional Rospotrebnadzor reported that an epidemiological investigation and the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships had been launched. They also added that salmonella markers were found in the patients.

As of June 1, the number of victims has increased to 50. This was reported to Izvestia by the press service of the Ministry of Health of the Stavropol Territory. 41 people are being treated in a hospital, while the rest receive outpatient medical care.

Criminal case on poisoning in Pyatigorsk

On May 31, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case. They also reported that the investigators "together with Rospotrebnadzor conducted an inspection of a public catering point, during which samples were seized, for which the necessary examinations were scheduled."

"On this fact, the investigative department for the city of Pyatigorsk of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Stavropol Territory has opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under art. 236 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules that negligently caused mass illness or poisoning of people"), the regional Investigative Committee said in a statement.

Photo: RF Investigative Committee

A prosecutor's check was also organized.

"The Prosecutor's Office of the city of Pyatigorsk is conducting an inspection on this fact, during which an assessment of the implementation of legislation on the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population will be given. Special attention is being paid to providing the necessary medical care to the victims," the supervisory authority said in a statement on Monday.

"Screaming and crying in pain"

One of the victims, in an interview with Izvestia, said that it was not the first time she had been to a cafe, before that everything was fine.

"On May 28, we arrived at the cafe, we had already eaten there, everything was fine. My husband and I bit into [food] four times. <...> The children asked for a bun, and they took one bite each. We arrived home and my husband started vomiting," the woman said.

The next morning, other family members also felt unwell: "We had such severe stomach pains that we couldn't even get out of bed. We had a high fever, slept all day, and didn't eat anything. I was severely dehydrated."

Photo: RF Investigative Committee

The woman and her daughter were admitted to the hospital, the son and his father remained at home for treatment, but a day later the boy was also admitted to the hospital.

"Both my daughter and I still have severe stomach pains, but hers is worse, she screams and cries in pain," said the source.

Poisoning at the Yekaterinburg gymnasium

On April 22, it became known about the poisoning of at least 20 students of gymnasium No. 116 in Yekaterinburg. The children sought medical help with complaints of feeling unwell and vomiting. Among the injured were students of the first and second grades. As a result of the incident, the prosecutor's office and Rospotrebnadzor began departmental inspections. Later, a criminal case was opened on violation of sanitary and epidemiological rules. The next day, Rospotrebnadzor reported that 22 patients had been diagnosed with salmonellosis, and violations of the requirements for processing raw materials, inventory, and cooking were also found.