Russian authorities arrest three people after dozens are hospitalized with botulism symptoms

Russian authorities on Tuesday detained three people in connection with an alleged botulism outbreak, a move that comes after dozens of people in four different regions were hospitalized with symptoms of the rare and dangerous disease.

Officials link the outbreak to ready-made salads made by a popular delivery service. Russia’s main investigative agency, the Investigative Committee, said Tuesday that authorities detained two top managers of the delivery service and a head of a company that produces canned beans as part of a criminal probe on charges of manufacturing and distribute products in violation of safety standards. It was not immediately clear from the statement whether the three had been charged or taken into custody.

Of food origin botulism is a rare disease caused by a toxin produced by a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Eating food contaminated with the toxin can cause paralysis, breathing difficulties and sometimes death. Improperly canned, preserved, or fermented foods are common sources.

Typical symptoms of botulism may include severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blurred vision, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing or speaking, and neurological symptoms.

In Moscow, 121 people sought medical help with suspected botulism, Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova said on Monday. She added that 55 of those affected are in serious condition, with 30 of them in intensive care.

In the outskirts of Moscow, 20 people, including 12 in serious condition, were hospitalized with a preliminary diagnosis of botulism, local health officials told Russian news agency Interfax on Tuesday.

A total of 14 people diagnosed with botulism were in hospitals in the Nizhny Novgorod region, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Moscow, the regional branch of public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on Tuesday.

Fourteen more people were hospitalized with botulism in Kazan, a city about 700 kilometers (440 miles) east of Moscow, according to a local branch of Rospotrebnadzor.

Health authorities initially linked at least some of the cases in Moscow to two brands of ready-made salads. Rospotrebnadzor suspended sales of the salads pending investigation on Saturday after the first cases of poisoning were reported.

On Tuesday, it appeared that authorities were only looking at one of two salads, made and sold by the popular delivery service Kukhnya Na Rayone, which operates in Moscow, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod and several other cities. Kukhnya Na Rayone suspended operations over the weekend, saying in an online statement that it no longer offered the salad, which contained canned beans, and that it would also inspect other foods it makes.

Authorities have not said for sure whether the salad or canned beans were actually contaminated. But a criminal investigation was launched and Kukhnya Na Rayone director Anton Lozin; the head of the quality department, Yelena Mashkova, and Vladimir Shin; heads of Savon-K, a company that makes canned beans, were arrested, according to the Investigative Committee.