Two senior doctors have been arrested in Russia following the deaths of nine babies in a maternity hospital in Siberia this month.

The newborns died during the long New Year holiday in Novokuznetsk, Russia’s main investigative authority said in a statement.

No reason for the babies’ deaths has been given.

The case has caused anger around Russia.

All the babies were born in the Novokuznetsk Maternity Hospital No.1 from 1-12 January, with the first death on 4 January, Russia’s Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said.

Without giving details, the committee said the chief physician and the head of the intensive care unit had been detained for the “improper performance of their official and professional duties in organising and providing medical care”.

It said the suspects were co-operating with the investigation and authorities were deciding on charges as well as pre-trial detention.

The committee released a video showing one man being escorted away and a man signing some papers in the presence of a uniformed officer.

Victims and witnesses had been questioned and materials seized as work continued to gather more evidence, it added.

Nine post-mortem examinations were being carried out.

The Interfax news agency said the Kemerovo Region Ministry of Health which was also investigating said the infants had had a severe intra-uterine infection.

The hospital has announced that it is no longer accepting patients due to a higher-than-usual rate of respiratory infections.