Costa Rica crisis: Contaminated alcohol kills at least 19 people after ’fake’ liquor sales

So far around 34 patients have been hospitalised as a result of the methanol-tainted alcohol. Of those 19 have died from the contaminated substance. According to News Breaking Live, those killed are aged between 32 and 72.

Local reports suggest that six different brands of alcohol have subsequently had warnings placed on them.

The brands were Guaro Montano; Aguardiente Barón Red; Aguardiente Timbuka; and Molotov Aguardiente.

The country’s health ministry suggested that some vendors were selling counterfeit products.

However, they said it was unclear whether this was done so knowingly, or unknowingly.

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It is also believed the majority of death toll were people who were homeless and alcoholics.

The huge total has grown since the first reports back in June.

Costa Rican authorities are reported to have seized 30,000 bottles of alcohol.

Experts are still working to understand how widespread the poisoning could be.

Donald Corella, head of emergency services at Calderon Guardia Hospital in San Jose, said: “The doctored alcohol contained between 30 to 50 percent methanol.”

He also claimed that four people who survived suffered “very serious after-effects”.

Side-effects sustained as a result of the ingesting of the liquor include blinds and brain lesions.

Other problems experienced were similar to Parkinson’s disease, where infected individuals had tremors.

source: express.co.uk