Alcoholic poisoning victims in Libya's Tripoli increase to 709

Libyan health minister said Tuesday that the number of people poisoned by drinking contaminated alcohol in Tripoli has increased to 709, with 60 dead, within hours.

Libyan Health Minister Nureddine Doghman (C) addresses a press conference about homemade alcohol poisoning in Tripoli, Libya, March 12, 2013. The top security official in Libya's capital said on Tuesday that 79 people have died over the past four days after drinking homemade alcohol, suspected of containing poisonous methanol. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)

The minister, Nurideen Doghman, said at a press conference that hospitals in Tripoli are busying receiving poisoned patients, and the increasing number of poisoning cases has led these hospitals to transfer some of the patients who need dialysis and inpatient care to the cities of Zawiya, Khumes and Benghazi.

Tripoli hospitals have been receiving alcoholic poisoning victims since Friday. The patients, aged between 19 and 50, fell ill after drinking homemade alcohol contaminated by methanol, the authorities reported Monday.

Libyan Ministry of Health formed Monday a crisis team to follow the taken emergency measures and provide support to hospitals, the minister told Xinhua.