WARNING

Costa Rica Warns Against Contaminated Alcohol Following Deaths of 19 People

Officials believe methanol-infused alcohol could be the cause of 19 fatalities since early June.

Officials in Costa Rica are warning people to stay away from some brands of booze following the deaths of 19 people who drank alcohol contaminated with toxic levels of methanol. Costa Rica has issued a national alert about the tainted alcohol, and the government has confiscated about 30,000 bottles assumed to be poisoned, CBS News reports. Fourteen men and five women have died across the country since early June, ranging in age from 32 to 72. The World Health Organization said methanol contamination stems from counterfeit or informally produced drinks, and has also caused deadly outbreaks in other countries—including one in India that claimed 154 lives. Officials say the matter in Costa Rica is still in the “preliminary” stages, and the investigation is ongoing.