Beer contamination cause of 75 deaths in NW Mozambique

The Mozambican health authorities said on Wednesday that contamination, rather than intentional poisoning, had resulted in 75 deaths in a beer tragedy in Chitima, Tete Province in the northwest of the country in January.

The results of samples from the drink, locally knows as "Pombe" which has been tested domestically and abroad, were made public on Wednesday in Maputo by the Ministry of Health.

The tests were done in the United States, after South Africa failed to determine the causes of the deaths.

According to the Chitima authorities in the Cahora Bassa district, 265 people had drunk the contaminated Pombe.

The samples showed the existence of strong toxic acids in Pombe, a local traditional beer made of maize flour. Authorities said deteriorated flour containing bacteria called "burkholderia gladioli" was to blame for toxins found in the drink.

Among the dead included the owner of the drink and her daughter. The police had arrested a man suspected of poisoning the drink, but later released him due to lack of evidence.

The director of the National Health Institute (INS), Ilesh Jani, who presented the results at a news conference, told reporters that the investigation into the samples started immediately after the deaths, as well as the treatment of those who faced signs of the intoxication, such as vomiting, weakness, fever and nauseous.

"The cases and deaths which took place at Chitima resulted from intoxication," he said.

Pombe is drunk in tradition ceremonies across Mozambique, including weddings, lobola, birthdays, among others. Enditem