Russia in mass food poisoning outbreak as 90 hospitalised with most being children

A mass outbreak of food poisoning has struck down almost 90 people, including 49 children after food below acceptable standards hit shelves in Russia

Almost 90 people, over half of them children, were taken seriously ill in Russia ’s Siberian republic of Buryatia, after being struck down by a mass food poisoning outbreak, regional authorities announced on Monday.

Buryatia’s health minister Yevgeniya Ludupova said that 89 people in total had been affected by an acute intestinal infection, with 11 cases officially confirmed to be Salmonella.

The severity of the illness has led to at least 55 people being hospitalised, with one person so acutely unwell they had moved to intensive care, however are said to be improving.

Among those infected were 49 children, with the outbreak originally having started late on Saturday.

According to reports, cases first emerged in the regional capital of Ulan-Ude, where they were initially linked to ready-made food products sold in several local grocery stores.

A criminal case has now been opened by the regional branch of federal investigative authorities over the sale of food products that did not meet the required safety standards needed for human consumption.

Health minister Ludupova identified both the food manufacturer, Vostok , and the major regional food retail chain Nikolaevsky as those implicated in the outbreak, according to The Moscow Times.

As of Monday morning, most of the affected patients remain in a stable condition.