Lahore: At least 3 more people fell prey to the toxic cough syrup in Lahore, second largest city of Pakistan, bringing the death toll to 16 in four days.
The deaths occurred in the low-income Shahdra Town neighbourhood between Friday and Monday with the victims mostly drug addicts who took the syrup to get high, said local police station chief Atif Zulfiqar.
According to Mayo hospital doctors, almost six people have been discharged after treatment while seven people were still getting treatment from the hospital.
“At least 16 people, mostly drug addicts, have died after taking the toxic syrup,” Zulfiqar told AFP, updating an earlier death toll of 13.
“Some of the victims were found dead in a graveyard where addicts used to take different kinds of drugs,” he said. Seven others died in hospital.
Three pharmacies have been shut down and their owners arrested, he added.
The health adviser for Punjab province, Khawaja Salman Rafiq, said the syrup would be confiscated from all pharmacies.
He said inspectors had shut down a drugs factory and sent samples to a laboratory for detailed analysis.
“Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry and a report will be submitted to him within 72 hours,” Rafiq said.
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