An investigation is continuing in Almaty into the mass poisoning of students at the Republican Physics and Mathematics School (RFMS). The city's Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control has disclosed new details of the inspection: sanitary violations were found in the food service area, and samples tested positive for E. coli bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus, the website infohub.kz reports.
According to the department, sanitary and epidemiological service specialists examined the affected students and 38 food service employees, and collected samples of prepared food, raw products, drinking water, swabs from surfaces and dishes, and samples of disinfectants. Medical observation has been established for contacts.
The food service area was found to have sanitary violations: menu non-compliance, improper storage conditions for products and daily samples, and missing required documentation and equipment labeling. Shortcomings in the organization of medical observation of students were also identified.
Seven samples of prepared food, 2 samples of finished products, 3 samples of raw products, 30 swabs from surfaces and dishes, 5 water samples and 2 samples of disinfectants were taken for laboratory testing. In addition, 38 food service employees were tested for carriage of pathogenic staphylococcus and intestinal infection pathogens.
Test results showed microbial contamination of certain prepared dishes, the presence of E. coli bacteria in food samples and swabs from dishes, and non-compliance of the working disinfectant solution with regulatory requirements.
Laboratory tests found that four food service employees were carriers of Staphylococcus aureus. Based on orders from the chief state sanitary doctor, these individuals have been temporarily suspended from work.
Specialists also established that all those who fell ill had eaten food in the boarding school's cafeteria during the incubation period. Most of them linked their illness to eating chicken roulade and beshbarmak.
Two administrative offense reports were drawn up following the investigation. The RFMS cafeteria, which is leased by an LLP to prepare food for students, has been suspended for 60 days under an order dated October 13.
The RFMS food service area will be allowed to resume operations only after the identified violations of sanitary and epidemiological requirements are remedied and this is confirmed by the authorized body following an unscheduled inspection provided for by law, the DSEC said.
It was previously reported that dozens of students at the Republican Physics and Mathematics School in Almaty were hospitalized with signs of acute intestinal infection, after which inspections began at the school. On October 15, it became known that the number of hospitalized students at the Almaty branch of RFMS had risen to 55. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Health named the violations identified at the school and commented on measures being taken, while the school itself announced the temporary transfer of students to distance learning. Police later said a criminal case had been opened over the incident. Last week, all hospitalized RFMS students were discharged from the hospital in Almaty.