8 dead and 76 in hospital for suspected rice wine poisoning

Eight people died between May 28 and yesterday. The 76 others who attended the funeral are also hospitalised during the same period with two of them reported being in critical condition. Pursat Provincial Information Department director, Leang Tithan told Khmer Times yesterday that the relevant authorities have already started an investigation into the incident, including taking samples of the rice wine and other drinks and food served at the funeral house.

“We are not ruling out any other possibilities as some may have died after drinking or eating something at thefuneral house,” he said. He said the authorities can only disclose the actual cause of deaths after getting the post-mortem and laboratory sample results.

Tithan said it was very unfortunate that these deaths happened in the Pursat province amidst the Covid-19 pandemic with the health authorities on the ground trying to contain the transmission of the deadly virus. “The health and local authorities are jointly working on this case,” he added.

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