Death toll from alcohol poisoning in Armenia grows to 19

YEREVAN, September 9. /ARKA/. Armenia's Health Ministry said today another man has died in the country's worst-ever alcohol poisoning, bringing the death toll to 19. Another 30 people got seriously ill after drinking home-made vodka.

According to the ministry, 46 cases of alcohol (methanol) poisoning have been reported from August 31 to September 10. The bulk of the cases 29 cases (including 10 deaths) were in Armavir region, 15 cases (seven deaths) in Yerevan) and two deaths in Kotayk region.

During this period, 28 people were treated from alcohol poisoning in various medical institutions, of whom 22 were discharged (four got blind).

Three people are still in hospitals, including one at the Erebuni medical center (in extremely serious condition, blindness), one at the St. Grigor Lusavorich hospital (in serious condition) and one at the First University Hospital  (in an extremely serious condition). 

The ministry called earlier on citizens to avoid drinking non-factory-made drinks, alcoholic drinks of unknown origin, as well as home-made vodka.

Armenia's Food Safety Inspectorate said last week after examining samples of the bootleg vodka that it contained huge volume of methyl alcohol. 

"The examination confirmed the preliminary version that the people were poisoned by methyl alcohol in the home-made vodka, the percentage of which was many times higher than the maximum allowable amount approved by the Eurasian Economic Commission," the Food Safety Inspectorate said.

The Investigative Committee has detained Ashot Hovsepyan, a resident of Armavir, born in 1970, on suspicion of producing and selling the vodka.  Later, the police said they found 200 liters of vodka of unknown origin in the man's house.

Later the Investigative Committee arrested two other people, who are suspected of selling methanol to Hovsepyan. According to the law-enforcement agency, Hovsepyan diluted methanol, a highly toxic alcohol used for industrial purposes, with water before selling the poisonous drink to local residents. -0-