Severe Poisoning Incident from Shawarma: 107 Affected, Including 23 Children

The number of people poisoned from shawarma in Vladimir has reached 107, including 23 children, with nearly half hospitalized, reported Alexander Avdeev, the governor of the Vladimir region, on his Telegram channel.

On Thursday, the regional office of Rospotrebnadzor announced the launch of a sanitary-epidemiological investigation due to notifications regarding acute intestinal infections among visitors to food establishments in Vladimir. Previously, citizens had consumed shawarma from several food points. As of Saturday, 76 cases of seeking medical assistance have been identified. Preliminary laboratory test results indicate that the food was contaminated with salmonella.

A criminal case has been initiated in the region regarding the provision of services that did not meet safety requirements. Avdeev stated, “Since August 16, 107 people have sought medical help in Vladimir due to poisoning, including 23 children. About half of the affected individuals have been hospitalized. In some cases, salmonellosis has been diagnosed. Regulatory authorities have identified and closed five points in the city. The cause of the poisoning has been attributed to low-quality chicken purchased without documentation and unsanitary conditions, as several points lacked running water or sinks.”