39 patients remain in hospital after mass poisoning in Dagestan
39 people who suffered from tap water poisoning in the Magaramkent district remain in hospital. The Dagestan government reported the completion of cleaning the municipal water supply system.
As "Kavkazsky Uzel" reported, by the evening of July 11, 45 patients (three adults and 42 children) remained in hospital after mass poisoning with tap water in the Magaramkent district. In total, according to doctors, 392 cases of intestinal infection were registered.
Rospotrebnadzor linked the mass poisoning in the Magaramkent district to the use of tap water. Those responsible for water supply did not disinfect water in reservoirs, water supply networks and storage tanks, the Ministry of Construction stated. A criminal case has been opened for providing services that do not meet safety requirements. the director of the municipal budgetary institution "Housing and Utilities" has been arrested in this case.
The cleaning of the water supply system in the Magaramkent district has been completed, the government of Dagestan reported on its Telegram channel on the night of July 14. "The negative dynamics in terms of identifying new cases has changed significantly for the better, 39 people remain in the hospital, the rest of the patients have been discharged," the publication says.
The outbreak of infection is declining, the authorities said. "Immunization of the population according to epidemic indications continues. Also, in the Magaramkent district, measures to disinfect water and water supply systems have been completed. From today [July 13], after hypochlorination, people use water from the water main," the report says.
Until the end of the day on July 11, residents of the district were prohibited from using tap water even for technical purposes. Although drinking water is brought to the villages, for hygienic purposes, they have to use tap water, despite the ban, villagers told the "Caucasian Knot." "We continue to wash things with tap water, how else can we do it? We have three children, we can't wash all the things by hand, and where can we get so much clean water?" – said, in particular, a resident of Magaramkent Maryam.
Recall that the head of Dagestan Sergey Melikov called the mass poisoning in the Magaramkent region the result of "negligence and irresponsibility" and promised that "everyone involved in this negligence will be held accountable."
At the same time, over the almost five years that Melikov has headed the republic (since October 2020), mass poisonings from tap water have repeatedly occurred in Dagestan.
For example, in June 2024, at least 228 people were hospitalized in Buynaksk after mass poisoning. The Rospotrebnadzor Administration stated that tap water was the source of mass contamination. In January 2021, there was also a mass poisoning of residents of Buinaksk with tap water, then 359 people sought medical attention. Following the investigation of the criminal case, the head of Buinakskvodokanal was fined only 100 thousand rubles, while the prosecutor demanded an even smaller fine - 50 thousand rubles.
Mass poisonings in Buinaksk are occurring against the backdrop of sewage entering worn-out water supply networks and illegal taps into the water supply system, Dagestani specialists indicated.
In the fall of 2016, repair work at the Miatlinskaya hydroelectric power station and a breakthrough in the outdated sewage system led to water pollution and mass poisoning of almost 700 people in Makhachkala. The circumstances and consequences of this incident are described by the "Caucasian Knot" in the report "Mass water poisoning in Makhachkala".
Translated automatically via Google translate from https://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/413035