A school is being investigated after unconfirmed reports of a suspected poisoning incident after 200 children suddenly fell ill with reports suggesting a previous disinfection operation to stop rats, mice, and cockroaches
22:47, 13 Apr 2026Updated 23:12, 13 Apr 2026
Reports suggest 200 students suddenly fell ill (stock)(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A school has reportedly seen 200 children fall ill in a suspected “poisoning” as pupils were allegedly seen vomiting at their desks, prompting 600 to be placed in quarantine.
Kaluga School No. 44 in Russia saw its students suddenly come down with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and fever with fears of a major outbreak of illness at the school.
According to Telegram channel SHOT PROVERKA, the illness began on April 8 with students missing from one class and others vomiting in the classroom. Some were reportedly hospitalised in the infectious diseases department due to the extent of their symptoms.
The school administration reportedly put in place a quarantine of around 600 students until April 14 fearing a viral illness, according to Russian publication RU Life. Parents reportedly believed it was a stomach infection.
Students reportedly became unwell at their desks (stock)(Image: Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images)
However, a source to the Telegram channel says a previous disinfection operation may have accidently poisoned the children. The premises was reportedly being treated for rats, mice, and cockroaches with poison allegedly being used in the unconfirmed report..
Following reports of suspected poisoning being made, the Kaluga Region Office of Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) previously officially denied reports of mass poisoning.
In a statement, they said: “The Kaluga Region Office of Rospotrebnadzor reports that the information posted on an online resource claiming that ‘200 children were poisoned—parents suspect an outbreak of intestinal infection’ is not true.”
The head of the Kaluga Ministry of Education, Alexander Anikeyev, also dismissed reports of poisoning and said students showed signs of acute respiratory infections.
He wrote on social media: “Some students are showing symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections and rotavirus infection. Rospotrebnadzor specialists worked at the school today and collected samples for testing. No sanitary violations were found.”
However, according to the latest article by RU Life, they cited fears from parents accusing the situation of being downplayed by officials. It comes as an investigation is now being launched by Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia.
A source to a Telegram channel claimed students had been ‘poisoned’ (file)
Meanwhile, the agency is conducting an investigation while inspecting the school and cafeteria. Laboratory samples have also been taken as the agency claims the situation is now under control.
Parents stated to the Telegram channel that their kids would see rats on the premises. The incident has now called on on urgent testing of the children, as well the water and food served in the cafeteria.
Concerns about the school had been raised previously but an inspection by Rospotrebnadzor found nothing wrong with the site or food.
The quarantine at the school has since been extended until April 16.
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