Alcohol poisoning leaves 87 dead in Libya
Date March 17, 2013 - 12:15PM
At least 87 people have died and 1014 are suffering the effects of being poisoned from drinking adulterated alcohol, the Libyan health ministry says.
Two of the people hospitalised are in a state of clinical death and another 14 are in critical condition in an intensive care unit, the ministry said.
Among those affected in the past week are Tunisians, Algerians, Moroccans, Somalis, Sudanese and Egyptians, and the total includes 12 women, the country's top health official, Yusef al-Wafi, said.
Cases of poisoning began to surface more than a week ago, and five days later the authorities announced the arrest of several people suspected of making the adulterated alcohol.
The sale and consumption of alcohol is banned in Libya, but it is nevertheless distilled clandestinely.
EFE
