56 Die After Drinking Poisoned Beer In Mozambique

56 Die After Drinking Poisoned Beer In Mozambique

Tragedy struck in southeastern Mozambique over the weekend when 56 people died after drinking poisoned beer at a funeral.

According to health authorities in the country, the beer was locally brewed and is believed to have been poisoned with crocodile bile during the funeral.

Apart from those that died from the poisonous beer, another 49 victims were admitted to hospital and 146 others have visited the hospital with poisoning symptoms, district health official, Alex Albertini told Radio Mozambique.

It was gathered that there is a risk that the death toll might climb, as health authorities admitted they do not have the resources to deal with this kind of situation.

According to Albertini, all of the victims of the tragic incident are said to have attended the funeral on Saturday, where they drank the locally brewed beer Pombe.

It was disclosed by the police that those who drank the beer in the morning of the funeral day reported no signs of illness, while those drinking it in the afternoon got sick.

Incidentally, the woman who was in charge of brewing the beer also died from poisoning.

It was gathered that all the blood and beer samples are being sent to the capital Maputo for testing as regional offices do not have the right technology.

"We don't have the capacity to test the samples," provincial health director Carle Mosse told Radio Mozambique.

RT News reports that investigation into the incident is ongoing and health officials are helping the affected families by collecting donations of food and other items.