Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 21 September, a mass poisoning of children occurred in Chust district of Namangan region. Dozens of kindergarten students were hospitalized, and several school students were also hospitalized with poisoning. It is not known for certain what caused the mass poisoning of children; the prosecutor’s office is investigating.

The press service of the Ministry of Health stated that the children were admitted with suspected acute intestinal infection. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. None of the children admitted to Chust hospital are in critical condition.

The incident of mass poisoning of children coincided with the beginning of a campaign to iodize children.

“On 20 and 21 September, children in kindergartens and schools were given antistrumin. The drug, which was distributed throughout the republic, was given to prevent iodine deficiency in children aged 3 to 15 years in order to improve the mental development of children. Children used this drug in other regions of the Namanga region, except for the Chust region, no cases of poisoning were observed,” the Namangan Department of the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

On 22 September, the Ministry of Health officially banned the distribution of antistrumin in schools and kindergartens after the mass poisoning in Chust.

Similar poisoning was also occurred in Andijan region.