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17 children died in 2011 in summer camps in Russia – ombudsman

Last year, he said, the death toll was 25

MOSCOW, September 8 (Itar-Tass) —— As many as 17 children died in summer camps throughout Russia in 2011, Russian children’s rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said on Thursday.

Last year, he said, the death toll was 25.

“This year however has set an absolute anti-record when 600 children got poisoned with food,” he said. In 2010, the figure was 186.

Among causes of cases of mass-poisoning Astakhov listed violations of sanitary norms and the use of low-quality foods and drinking water.

He proposed to “introduce some kind of certificates of quality for children’s establishments.” He also said it was proper that all teachers and camp counsellors had special certificates as well.