Another four pupils have been hospitalized with suspected food poisoning in the Astrakhan Region in south Russia, bringing the total number of children affected by the stomach bug to 28, the regional emergencies ministry said on Sunday.

Mass food poisoning among pupils of a secondary school in the town of Karagali occurred on January 19. In the first three days, 24 children aged 7-17 were hospitalized with the symptoms of acute dysentery, the ministry said.

According to the regional prosecutor’s office, four pupils were hospitalized in a grave condition and one of them was taken to an intensive care unit.

“Already after the educational process was stopped and a quarantine regime introduced in the town, new cases of the disease were registered among children. The disease symptoms were registered among three pupils on Friday and the fourth pupil sought medical aid on Saturday. therefore, the total number of children hit by the disease has reached 28 pupils,” the ministry said.

Prosecutors and the staff of the Russian consumer rights watchdog have exposed gross violations of food storage and food preparation procedures at the secondary school.

ASTRAKHAN, January 23 (RIA Novosti)