Illustration. (Source: Indiatoday)
On June 4, a health official in Pursat province, northwest Cambodia, confirmed that 6 person died and 1 others were hospitalized after drinking homemade rice wine suspected of containing too high levels of methanol.
According to Deputy Director of Pursat Provincial Health Department, Mr. Teuk Sopheap, the incident occurred at the funeral of a villager Morth Prey, Krakor district on the evening of June 1 after the attendees drank homemade wine.
The victims all had symptoms such as skin irritation, chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, and dizziness after drinking homemade alcohol.
The official said the condition of 27 people hospitalized has improved and is not life-threatening.
Authorities took alcohol samples for analysis to clarify the cause of the incident.
Homemade rice wine is very popular in rural Cambodia due to its low cost.
In October 10, a case of homemade alcohol poisoning with too high a methanol concentration also occurred in Stung Treng district, Kampong Cham province, killing three people and hospitalizing 2022 others.
