At a
funeral in Mozambique this weekend, people who drank a traditional beer
in the morning were fine—but others who had it in the afternoon were
victims of a tragedy. At least 69 people died and 196 were hospitalized
after drinking the beer, which authorities say was likely poisoned with
crocodile bile, possibly while mourners were at a cemetery, the AP
reports. The country has declared three days of mourning. "People
flocked to the hospital, suffering from diarrhea and muscle pain," an
official told Radio Mozambique. "Then bodies from various neighborhoods
were brought to the hospital, and this alerted us."
The
woman who brewed the traditional beer, known as pombe and made from
millet or corn, was among those who died. Another official said
yesterday that things could get even worse in an area ill-equipped to
handle the situation. Samples of both the beer and blood have been sent
off for testing in the country's capital, and officials are collecting
donated items, including food and coffins, for suffering families. "We
are waiting for the results of the tests of the samples being done at
Maputo Central Hospital so that we can identify the type of the product
put into the drink," says the official. Police are on the case, the AP reports.
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Beer was believed to have been poisoned with crocodile bile.
(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
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