In China, an official investigation revealed that dozens of provincial officials and hospital staff attempted to conceal a lead poisoning incident that sickened hundreds of children in the country's northwest. This sparked widespread public outrage, writes UNN with reference to the BBC.
Details
A report by the Gansu provincial authorities states that city officials also took bribes from an investor in the "Peixin" kindergarten, neglecting food safety inspections in several preschool institutions. The report also states that, in an attempt to attract more students, "Peixin" cooks used inedible paint to "improve the appearance" of their dishes.
It was later discovered that food samples contained lead, with levels two thousand times higher than the national safety standard.
Initially, 8 people were detained for their involvement in the production of toxic snacks. Six of them, including the kindergarten director, cooks, and an investor, were arrested, the report says.
10 other officials will face "official accounting procedures," and another 17 people are under disciplinary investigation.
On July 8, authorities reported that 235 children from a private kindergarten were being treated in the hospital for lead poisoning after eating steamed red date cakes and sausage corn buns. As of Sunday, 234 of them have been discharged.
The Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention was ordered to test 267 students and staff of "Peixin" after some of them showed symptoms earlier this month, but officials "did not take the work seriously."
According to the report, the person responsible for the tests "seriously violated operating procedures, which distorted the results." The report, among other details, named several individuals under investigation and specified the concentration of lead in various food samples.
It also accused the staff of Tianshui No. 2 People's Hospital of "serious dereliction of duty" and called the institution's handling of the case "chaotic."
The Chinese internet paid close attention to the report, with some praising what they considered a transparent disclosure of information, while others demanded accountability for those responsible for the case.
Unlike the reprimands against provincial and city officials, the report mentions the central government's "quick response," which "at the first opportunity" convened an expert group to address any gaps in procedures.
On Monday, China published a set of national guidelines for food safety on campuses. Among other things, it requires that every new batch of food products undergo inspection, and that rice, flour, and cooking oil be purchased from centralized procurement points.
Tianshui authorities also announced that children suffering from lead poisoning can receive free treatment at designated hospitals, and affected families will be provided with legal assistance.
Addition
In Lviv, 70 people, including 9 children, were hospitalized with acute intestinal infection after visiting the "Chinese Hello" restaurant. All affected individuals consumed the "Singapore Cheesecake" dessert, and Salmonella enteritidis was confirmed in two cases.