Nine Residents Die at Neuropsychiatric Care Facility in Russia’s Kuzbass Region

In January, nine residents of the Prokopyevsk boarding institution for people with neuropsychiatric disorders in Russia's Kuzbass region died, according to the regional Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

Official Causes of Death

Pathologists concluded that seven of the deaths resulted from decompensation of long-standing heart failure and diseases of the circulatory system, complicated by cardiac rhythm disorders and thrombosis. Authorities continue to clarify the causes of death for two other residents.

Specialists are currently assessing living conditions at the institution as well as the quality of medical supervision provided to residents, the ministry stated.

Illness Outbreak and Criminal Case

On January 24, the regional Health Ministry reported that two residents of the institution had been diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia, while forty-six others tested positive for influenza A. Following these reports, investigators from the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case for violations of sanitary and epidemiological regulations.

Allegations of Concealment and Poor Conditions

Earlier, NGS42, citing unnamed employees of the institution, reported that an infection outbreak had occurred at the facility as early as November. According to these sources, the management allegedly chose to conceal the situation and did not introduce quarantine measures.

Staff members also claimed that residential buildings at the institution suffered from low indoor temperatures, that essential medications were in short supply, and that residents received poor-quality food.