Tengrinews.kz - Over 300 pupils were poisoned in Mangystau region, citing Lada.kz.
Relatives of students from School No. 8 in the village of Besshoky reported the mass poisoning. The affected individuals are primarily students in grades 1-4 who had meals at the school cafeteria.
"My younger sister came back from school tired and said she wanted to sleep. When she woke up in the evening, she began to feel nauseous and had a fever of up to 39.2 degrees Celsius. We took her to the hospital in the village of Mangystau," said the older brother of one of the first graders.
According to the relatives of the affected girl, a line has formed at the local hospital, where more than 50 children are currently being treated. At the medical facility in the neighboring village of Mangystau , they observed 35-40 schoolchildren, and some of the affected were taken to the regional children's hospital in Aktau.
The Mangystau region’s health department reported that since the evening of September 6, parents of 21 students from School No. 8 have sought emergency assistance for complaints of abdominal pain and high fever. By 1:15 PM, 58 children had sought help. In clinics, 26 children are receiving treatment, 27 are under observation at home, and five have been hospitalized.
Health Minister Akmaral Alnazarova commented on the mass poisoning incident on her Facebook page.
"Regarding the mass poisoning of pupils and staff at School No. 8 in the Munaily district, 10 main and 2 additional teams from the regional emergency medical service, as well as 5 teams from the Munaily Central District Hospital, have been dispatched to the scene. Psychological support teams from the regional mental health center have also been deployed. The situation is under the control of the Ministry of Healthcare," the publication states.
However, a local resident posted a video complaining about the shortage of ambulances for transporting the children. According to him, the ambulances can only transport one patient at a time.
Currently, the causes and circumstances of the mass poisoning of schoolchildren are being investigated. September 9, the results of the food samples from the school cafeteria are expected. Laboratory test results should be published on September 10.
In turn, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has issued instructions regarding the mass poisoning of schoolchildren in the Mangystau region. He has heard reports from the Ministers of Healthcare as well as the akim of the Mangystau region, on the matter.
"460 children are under medical supervision, of which 83 are hospitalized, and two are in intensive care. The condition of all the affected individuals is stable and improving. Two children who were previously in intensive care have been transferred to general wards," the statement says.
All children are receiving the necessary medical and psychological assistance. Representatives from the Committee for children rights protection of the Ministry of Education are on site, and measures have been taken to support the affected children and their families. Specialists from the "Scientific and Practical Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring" have been sent to the region to enhance efforts to contain and eliminate the outbreak.
"By order of the Prime Minister, a monitoring of compliance with sanitary and epidemiological requirements in all school cafeterias across the country will be conducted over the next month. This measure aims to enhance control over the safety of school meals and prevent similar incidents in the future," the government said.
An investigation is underway at School No. 8. An investigative team has been established in the Mangystau region to probe the mass poisoning of children.
"The investigative team, formed under the coordination of the regional prosecutor's office, includes representatives from the departments of economic investigations and the police," the regional akimat reported.
According to the latest information, doctors have examined 460 students: 377 of them are under outpatient observation, and 83 children are hospitalized in the regional children's infectious diseases hospital. Two of those hospitalized were in intensive care, but their condition has stabilized, and they have been moved to general wards. Students who were under home observation have returned to school, and the condition of the remaining affected individuals is also improving.
Earlier, tne child killed and three injured in Mangystau Region car accident
