Details regarding the group outbreak of food poisoning in Ciocîlteni, Orhei district

In the context of the information circulated recently in the mass media, according to which four people would have died and approximately 60 would have been hospitalized following an event held in the village of Ciocîlteni, Orhei district, we note that this information does not correspond to reality and is not supported by official data obtained as a result of the epidemiological investigation.

During August 31 – September 3, 2025, a group outbreak of food poisoning caused by Salmonella enteritidis was recorded following participation in a memorial meal organized in an unauthorized place in the village of Ciocîlteni, Orhei district.

Following the epidemiological investigation, carried out by CSP Orhei specialists, it was determined that 126 people participated in the memorial meal, of which 40 people showed clinical signs of illness, and 29 of them required hospitalization. Unfortunately, a case of death was recorded, of a 61-year-old person, who was not present at the event, but consumed contaminated food brought by relatives.

The laboratory investigations carried out by CSP Orhei specialists, both on the samples collected from the affected persons and on the food, confirmed the presence Salmonella enteritidis, along with other conditionally pathogenic agents.

In conclusion, ANSP strongly rejects the unconfirmed information regarding the existence of four deaths and emphasizes that, to date, no other fatal cases associated with this outbreak have been registered.

At the same time, we appeal to the media institutions to inform from official sources before publishing information, to avoid misinforming the public and generating unnecessary panic.

To prevent diseases caused by the consumption of unsafe food, we urge you to respect the FIVE principles of the WHO regarding the safety of food products:

Cleanliness. Be sure to wash your hands before cooking and eating food, clean utensils, surfaces and use sanitized raw materials;
Separation. Avoid contact of prepared products with raw ones to prevent cross-contamination;
Preparation. Cook at appropriate temperatures for each food group;
Storage. Both before and after preparing the products, be sure to store them at an optimal temperature to prevent them from spoiling;
Safety. Use safe raw material and quality water for food preparation.