The key facts
- As of October 25, 40 cases of acute intestinal infection have been registered; Shigella has been laboratory-confirmed in 13 patients
- Among the sick are employees of the plant and of the catering company 'Partnyory — Noyabrsk,' which has been serving rotational workers since September 1
- Rospotrebnadzor has been working at the site since October 23; the final source of infection has not been identified
Outbreak at the Kultuminsky GOK
An outbreak of intestinal infection has occurred at the Kultuminsky mining and processing plant in the Trans-Baikal Territory. According to the regional office of Rospotrebnadzor, as cited by the SHOT PROVERKA Telegram channel, as of October 25, 40 cases of acute intestinal infection have been registered; all those infected have been hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of 'acute gastroenterocolitis of unspecified etiology.' Laboratory tests detected DNA of Shigella — the bacteria that cause dysentery — in 13 patients.
Who fell ill and who is being inspected
Among the sick are both employees of the plant itself, where about 1,500 people work, and staff of the company that provides meals for rotational workers. Since September 1, catering at the facility has been organized by the company 'Partnyory — Noyabrsk'. Rospotrebnadzor is now inspecting both the catering provider and the plant itself: specialists are determining whether the infection could have spread through water or food contaminated during preparation and serving.
Progress of the investigation
Sanitary doctors have been working at the site since October 23: they are taking food and water samples, examining surface swabs and the patients' test results. The final source of infection has not yet been identified. Life.ru also recalls a recent outbreak of intestinal infection in Dagestan, caused by dysentery pathogens and noroviruses that got into the water: more than 270 residents of Buynaksk sought medical help at the time, and over 30 people were hospitalized.
Why it matters
The outbreak affects about 1,500 workers at a large industrial enterprise and calls into question the safety of organized catering for rotational workers. In practical terms, this means that Rospotrebnadzor's inspection of 'Partnyory — Noyabrsk' and the plant is ongoing, and until the source of infection is identified there remains a risk of new cases among the staff. The agency's final conclusions about the route of transmission have not yet been announced.
