Over 120 people in Moscow have been hospitalized, with at least 30 of them in intensive care following a mass outbreak of a rare and extremely dangerous food poisoning in Moscow, health officials said Monday.
The patients were admitted to the hospital with symptoms of foodborne botulism, a life-threatening condition that attacks the nervous system and can cause respiratory failure and paralysis, according to The Moscow Times.
"In total, 121 people sought medical help," confirmed Moscow Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakov.
"At the moment, 55 people are in serious condition, and 30 of them are in intensive care," she added.
Shortly after the Moscow prosecutor's office announced it had launched a criminal investigation into a breach of consumer safety standards, police arrested three men connected to the case.
Authorities believe the toxic outbreak came from salads distributed by a popular online delivery service known as Kuchnia Na Rayone.
The company has allegedly identified a "potential risk incident" with a salad that used tinned beans and has temporarily suspended operations amid a criminal investigation.
The World Health Organization states that foodborne botulism can be fatal without rapid treatment with antitoxins. Botulism, which does not pass between people, is an extremely rare condition, typically caused by improperly processed food.
There were reportedly 82 confirmed cases of botulism across the European Economic Area in 2021.
