Ukraine has enough serums against botulism - Health Ministry

The communications department at the Ministry of Health said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

The department stressed that the risk of contracting botulism remains in the regions affected by the Russian occupiers' blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP. However, not a single case of botulism has been detected in these territories.

The Ministry of Health stressed that 11 vials of anti-botulinum serum were transferred to the Mykolaiv region to respond to possible cases of botulism.

Overall, in five months of 2023, not a single case of botulism was recorded in Ukraine, the Ministry of Health emphasized.

Specialists of the ministry once again reminded Ukrainians that they should not buy fish and fish products at unknown trade outlets. Dead or dying fish must not be collected for further storage, cooking or consumption. No cooking method will make it safe: such fish cannot be consumed, in particular, dried, fried or boiled. This fish may contain pathogens of infectious diseases, parasites or dangerous chemicals.

As Ukrinform reported, as a result of Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka HPP, a mass plague of fish occurred in some regions. Tens of thousands of fish remained in shallow water bodies.

Botulism is an acute infectious disease. It occurs as a result of eating food products poisoned by toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria. This toxin is one of the most powerful of all known biological poisons.

The causative agent of botulism is resistant to the influence of external factors. Ignoring the disease or improper and untimely treatment can lead to paralysis and even death. Botulism has no epidemic potential because it is not transmitted from person to person.