A bad batch of strawberry ice cream has put nearly 200 people in the hospital in Uzbekistan's eastern Andijon region, authorities and residents said.
An official at the regional Health Directorate told RFE/RL on May 16 that 182 residents of the Shahrihon District were placed in intensive care wards at hospitals around the region a day earlier.
He said a total of about 300 people had sought medical attention after eating locally produced strawberry ice cream.
Local residents told RFE/RL that the number of people who fell ill could be much higher and there were rumors of several deaths from the ice cream, but the health official said none of the hospitalized patients had died.
Regional authorities, medical personnel, sanitary control officials, and emergency units have been working in the affected district since the situation occurred.
Uzbek Deputy Health Minister Saidmurod Saidaliev is also in the district supervising the efforts of medical personnel.
