Kazakhstan’s Youth Soccer Players Hospitalized After Suspected Food Poisoning in Tashkent

Six children and two adults in a youth soccer delegation from Kazakhstan remained hospitalized in Tashkent on November 4 after a suspected food poisoning outbreak during an international tournament. Kazakhstan’s embassy in Uzbekistan said they were in stable condition and that 10 other patients had been discharged. The group had traveled from the Karaganda region for the Dostlik Cup 2026. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health said members of the group ate eggs with partially cooked yolks and sausages for breakfast at their hotel on November 1. Thirteen people developed vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever later that day, and seven others sought treatment with similar symptoms over the following two days. Ambulances took the first patients to a specialized medical center before they were transferred to Tashkent City Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital No. 5. The ministry said 20 people had received treatment for acute diarrhea, with none requiring intensive care. Consul Saken Perdebekov and Kazakhstan’s ambassador have visited the hospital, and the embassy is assisting patients and their families. Health officials from both countries are coordinating the response. The Chilanzar District Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal investigation into possible violations of sanitary regulations. A separate food poisoning outbreak at state kindergartens in the Tashkent region affected hundreds of children in September 2025. Health inspectors have collected samples of leftover food from the delegation’s hotel for laboratory testing. The cause of the illness has not yet been established, and the investigation is continuing.