Bootleg alcohol claims 26th victim in Czech Republic

Ostrava, North Moravia, Sept 25 (CTK) - An autopsy Tuesday confirmed death from methanol poisoning in a man, aged 60, who died in his flat, whereby the recent death toll of bootleg alcohol has mounted to 26, regional police spokeswoman Gabriela Holcakova has told CTK.

The biggest number of the victims has been recorded in the Moravia-Silesia Region, Holcakova said.

She warned the public of pear vodka in unstamped bottles as it can be poisonous.

The police found the man's body in a flat on Monday, Holcakova said, adding that the detectives had found out that he had drunk alcohol along with other men.

One of them was hospitalised in a serious health condition in the Ostrava municipal hospital on Monday morning, Holcakova said.

The police found another two men, who were also poisoned with methanol, but the damage to their health was not so serious, she added.

One of the men was even released home after a medical check-up, while the other has stayed in the hospital for observation, Holcakova said.

A man, aged 33, was taken to a hospital in Havirov, north Moravia, in a serious, perhaps critical condition, deputy hospital director Jaroslav Lux has said.

"The patient is now at an intensive care unit. He is unconscious and he is attached to lung ventilation and an artificial kidney. Methanol poisoning was confirmed in his case," Lux said.

Another man, 43, who was taken with alcohol poisoning to the hospital on Monday evening, is still in the Havirov hospital.

"The consumption of poisonous alcohol was confirmed in him. The patient is also at the intensive care unit, where he is attached to the artificial kidney," Lux said.

After this noon, the local police warned of alcohol that may be toxic.

"Due to the newly established information, we appeal to the public not to use alcohol in the glass one-litre bottles with the label 'Hruskova vodka' (Pear Vodka)," Holcakova said.

Analogous bottles labelled "FREDERIC, TRADE MARK, 50 % WODKA, EXTRA FINE" may have toxic content, too, she added.

Holcakova said the dangerous bottles had not been stamped.

"People must not consume the content of the bottles. They must pass them to the nearest police station," she added.

Spirits tainted with methanol have killed 26 victims in the Czech Republic this month. Over three dozen people are treated in hospital with poisoning symptoms, some of them are in a critical state.

In reaction to this, the government first banned hard liquor sales in kiosks and street stalls and later it extended the ban on any serving and sales of spirits containing more than 20 percent of alcohol.