Multiple people have died and dozens more have been hospitalized after a mass poisoning at a care facility in Moscow, authorities said.
In a statement shared on Telegram on Saturday, Dec. 20, the Investigative Committee of Russia said three people died and more than 40 others were taken to hospitals in conditions of “varying severity.” The agency said 73 people were at the facility at the time of the incident.
Law enforcement officials are interviewing the facility’s management and residents, the committee said. Investigators and forensic specialists have also inspected the site, seized documents, and collected samples of food and dishware for analysis.
The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing has likewise collected food samples for testing, according to the statement.
The incident was first reported Friday, Dec. 19, by local outlets Lenta.ru and Ren TV. Ren TV reported that doctors diagnosed patients with acute intestinal infections.
