Toxic alcohol poisoning more widespread

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The toxic alcohol poisoning that has caused 21 deaths over the past several days is believed to be more widespread than originally suspected, claiming victims outside the Klang Valley and Selangor as well.

Perak today reported that two Malaysian men from Bandar Baru Putra, Bercham, had succumbed to the poisoning, one last Monday and the other on Tuesday.

State Health, Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resource Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said a 50-year-old man died on the way to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh early on Monday while a 39-year-old man died at the KPJ Hospital early on Tuesday.

“Two Malaysian men, aged 41 and 53, are in critical condition at the Intensive Care Unit of the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital. Another man, aged 35, is reported to be in stable condition at the same hospital,” he said at a press conference in Ipoh today.

The Health Ministry revealed yesterday that the death toll from the toxic alcohol poisoning had risen to 21 while the police said today that 20 deaths had occurred in Selangor.

Sivanesan said an investigation revealed that the men had bought imitation alcoholic drinks, believed to be types of beer and whiskey, in the Bercham and Tanjung Rambutan areas.

"We suspect that there have been about 20 to 30 cases of toxic alcohol poisoning. The consumers of these drinks suffer from symptoms such as blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath and body aches and have to be rushed to the hospital,” he said.

No case of toxic alcohol poisoning has been reported in Johor but State Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal said the state government was monitoring outlets selling alcoholic drinks.

He noted that many of the poisoned cases were foreign nationals. He hoped that the outlets would be careful in selling only approved drinks to their customers.

Reports from Sabah and the duty-free island of Labuan indicate that there had been no case of toxic alcohol poisoning.

In Selangor, chief police officer Datuk Mazlan Mansor said in a statement that the death toll from toxic alcohol poisoning in the state had risen by one to 20 as of 1 pm today.

The latest victim was a Malaysian, which brings the number of Malaysians to two, he said, adding that the rest were five Nepalese, nine Myanmar, one Indian, two Bangladeshis and one unidentified person.

Sixteen people were under treatment in hospitals, he said.

Mazlan said the police had recorded 56 cases of toxic alcohol poisoning, including the deaths, in Selangor so far.

As at 4 pm today, there have been no reports of toxic alcohol poisoning in Perlis, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Kelantan and Terengganu.

-- BERNAMA