At least 73 people died in Iran due to alcohol poisoning after rumors spread throughout the country that consuming such would cure or prevent the spread of the coronavirus diseases (COVID-19), news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
According to the Turkey-based international news agency, reported deaths came from the provinces of the Khuzestan, Alborz and Mazandaran.
Bloomberg cited a Fars News Agency report that “some turned to ingesting industrial-grade ethanol and methanol in a misguided effort to stave off the coronavirus tearing through the country.”
ABC News also reported that amid the alcohol ban in Iran, “some have been poisoned by drinking industrial alcohol sold in the market for sanitizing purposes.”
Iran comes next to China and Italy with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world.
As of Thursday, March 12, there are 10,075 coronavirus patients and 429 deaths recorded in the region.
