A total of 60 fatal cases of poisoning with the bath lotion containing alcohol have been registered in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, the press service of the regional Health Ministry informed TASS on Dec. 21.
"To date, 60 people have died after consuming fake alcohol-containing products. (The new victims) died not in hospitals. Their bodies have been delivered to our forensic medical examination office," the press service said.
In all, 105 cases of poisoning with the methanol-containing bath lotion have been registered in the city, 40 people are being treated in hospitals. "Five others have been discharged from hospital due to improved health condition," the ministry added.
Earlier reports said that 58 people had died after drinking a bath lotion called Boyaryshnik (Hawthorn), while the number of registered cases had exceeded 100, with 41 people staying in hospitals.
A criminal case has been opened into the sale of goods failing to meet safety requirements and resulting in the death of two or more people. A total of 11 people have been detained as part of this criminal case.
A ban on sales of all nonfood alcohol-containing products has been imposed in Irkutsk and in the region. The ban will stay in place as long as checks continue at local stores as to whether they have on sale the lethal bath lotion called Boyaryshnik and similar products.
Source: TASS