The Chuvashia Office of the Investigative Committee has opened an investigation in a crime under Part 1 of Article 238 of the RF Penal Code (unsafe services).

On 26 October 2016, 3 boys aged 9, 10 and 13 were taken from school No 43 to town children’s hospital No 2 in the town of Cheboksary. All three boys started complaining about nausea, vomiting and high temperature after they had eaten meals in school on 25 October 2016.

According to investigators, the school had a contract with a commercial company on catering services in the school’s cafeteria. The investigators with specialists of Rospotrebnadzor (the federal consumer rights protection authority) have examined the cafeteria thoroughly, seized samples of food and water, as well as other materials to run tests and find the source of infection. Anti-epidemiologic measures are being taken at the school.

Information keeps coming that more children have also been hospitalized, while some children are being monitored by a local pediatrician and receiving medical attention at home. All such information is going to be checked by the investigators. The children are in satisfactory condition and there is no danger. Forensic medical inquiries have been ordered to find out the harm done to children’s health and other forensic tests are expected. More than 30 witnesses, including the management of the catering company have been questioned and contracts signed between the company and the school have been confiscated. The investigators are going to give legal assessment to the actions (omission) of responsible staff and to take steps to find out reasons and conditions that contributed to the incident. The progress of the investigation is under special control of the senior officials at the regional investigative authority.