Georgia’s National Food Agency reports that it is continuing a comprehensive investigation in connection with cases of gastroenteritis caused by norovirus infection among children in Tbilisi kindergartens. To date, 70 facilities have been inspected, including 48 municipal nursery-kindergartens, a meat production plant, and a dairy warehouse.
“The agency’s inspection teams are conducting checks both in kindergarten catering blocks and at food manufacturing and distribution businesses. To date, 70 facilities have been inspected, including 48 public kindergartens in Tbilisi, a meat processing facility, and a dairy warehouse. A total of 502 samples of various food items and drinking water have been collected for laboratory testing.
At this stage, laboratory tests for food safety indicators in 39 samples have revealed no violations. Testing of the remaining samples is ongoing. The results of the examinations will be published in stages,” the statement notes.
As a reminder, on September 18, 2026, four days after educational activities resumed in public kindergartens, dozens of children were taken to clinics with symptoms of suspected intoxication. As Minister of Health Mikheil Sarjveladze later reported, the number of hospital visits exceeded 100.
On the same day, seven kindergartens suspended admissions “to mitigate epidemiological risks.”
The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance launched a criminal probe under Part 2 of Article 198 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which establishes liability for the manufacture or sale of products hazardous to life.
According to the Investigation Service, searches were carried out at four kindergartens and three food supply companies. In addition, legal representatives of more than 50 children and medical facility staff were questioned.
On September 19, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze stated that it was premature at this stage to assert whether the issue was specifically caused by food products and that it was necessary to await the findings of expert examinations by relevant agencies.
On September 20, the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) reported that norovirus was highly likely the primary cause of the gastroenteritis cases among children in Tbilisi kindergartens.
According to the NCDC, relevant departments of the Ministry of Agriculture joined the inspections from the very beginning to conduct a comprehensive assessment of food safety across childcare institutions.
NCDC: Norovirus may have caused mass intoxication in Tbilisi kindergartens
