Over 120 individuals have reportedly fallen ill in Buryatia, a republic in Siberia, due to a widespread food poisoning incident linked to pre-packaged meals available in a local supermarket chain, according to regional health authorities.

On Monday, the regional branch of Russia’s consumer rights agency, Rospotrebnadzor, informed the Kommersant business newspaper that the confirmed cases had increased from 89 to 121 within just a few hours.

Currently, approximately 70 people are under medical care in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the region, after residents started seeking help over the weekend for symptoms associated with acute intestinal infections. Preliminary tests have identified 11 instances of Salmonella.

The outbreak has been connected to products manufactured by Vostok, a food company that distributes around 2.5 metric tons of ready-made meals daily to the Nikolaevsky supermarket chain.

Inspectors discovered significant breaches of sanitary regulations at the company’s production facility, which resulted in the suspension of its ready-to-eat food operations and the confiscation of 6.4 metric tons of food items from both stores and storage locations.

The regional investigative authority, which deals with major crimes, announced that the production manager at Vostok has been charged with producing hazardous food that led to severe health issues.

She was arrested over the weekend while investigators gathered evidence and executed searches.

If convicted, she may face a prison sentence of up to six years.

A video released by the Investigative Committee depicted a female employee inspecting boxes of packaged food at a storage facility while another was seen drafting a report with the production manager in his office.

Officials have stated that the majority of patients are in stable condition as the inquiry progresses into what may be one of the most significant foodborne illness outbreaks in Buryatia in recent years.