49 people were poisoned by kurut in southern Tajikistan

In the Khatlon region, 49 people have been hospitalized with a diagnosis of food poisoning.

Photo: Internet

On January 24, 2023, 49 residents of the Chagam village in the Shamsiddin Shohin district in southern Tajikistan were poisoned after consuming kurutoba. This Tajik dish consists of layered flatbread – fatira, which is filled with a fermented dairy product – kurut or chakka, butter, vegetables, and herbs.

One of the villagers invited his neighbors for kurutoba. 25 people, whose health condition raised concerns, were urgently taken to the city infectious disease hospital in Kulob, while the others were hospitalized in local medical facilities.

According to Sharof Rustamov, head of the Kulob region’s health department, “the cause of the poisoning is still unknown.” He noted that this information was reported later.

In most mountainous areas of Tajikistan, gatherings with kurutoba have become traditional during the winter period. Since in other seasons most residents are busy and cannot visit their friends and relatives, during the winter they take the opportunity to host gatherings under various pretexts and invite friends and acquaintances. The poisoning in Chagam village also occurred during one of these gatherings.

The authorities of Tajikistan have not yet commented on this incident.