More than 300 Iranians have been killed and 1,000 sickened after drinking highly concentrated alcohol in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The surge in alcohol-related deaths, sparked by fears of catching the coronavirus, came after an influx of fake preventative remedies flooded Iranian social media.
People as young as five have been reported receiving alcohol-laced drinks from concerned parents fearful of their children catching the flu-like virus which has already infected more than half a million people worldwide and killed over 23-thousand.
Health care workers say the mass consumption of highly concentrated alcohol has left hundreds blind and in serious condition.
Alcohol consumption in Islamic strict countries like Iran is illegal and unattainable in government-regulated stores.
Consumers rely on bootleggers to supply them with the banned substance.
Toxicologists in Iran say the rise in fake remedies and DIY treatment has partly been caused by Iranian’s ‘deep’ level of mistrust in their government and its handling of the pandemic.
For months, Iran downplayed the virus and covered up thousands of cases until government officials began testing positive.
As of now, there are more than 29,000 thousand confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Iran and 2,200 deaths.
By: Niza Nondo
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