Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Fifteen people were poisoned in Samarkand over a homemade chicken barbecue dinner. The Center for Sanitary and Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health (SES) of Samarkand region of Uzbekistan reports.

The Samarkand branch of the Republican Scientific Center for Emergency Medical Aid admitted 15 people aged from five to 62 years with signs of food poisoning of varying severity.

Doctors diagnosed them with acute poisoning with methemoglobin-producing toxins.

According to the results of the initial laboratory analysis, it was found that people were poisoned with sodium nitrate during dinner, SES notes.

While cooking chicken kebab, the chef mistakenly added sodium nitrate instead of salt.

Seven poisoned people are being treated at the hospital. Moreover, five of them are in the intensive care unit. Eight people have been discharged.