Zambia reels from deadly homemade beer poisoning

At least 10 people died in Zambia after drinking beer that contained methyl alcohol and shoe polish. Several others are still fighting for their lives in hospitals. Police claim that the actual number of fatalities may be higher.

Local police determined that Chijaba beer, which led to the deaths of 10 people in various towns in southern Zambia, was brewed from methyl alcohol, water, sugar, and shoe polish, reports PAP. The first two victims who consumed the drink died last Sunday. In the following days, three more died, and by the end of last week, five more people had died. Several victims are still fighting for their lives in Zambian hospitals.

Police reported on Friday evening that the number of fatalities could be significantly higher as the beer was distributed throughout the entire southern province of Zambia. All the victims suffered from severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vision problems, said Zambian police spokesman Danny Mwale. This is not the first case of mass beer poisoning in Zambia. In March, in the capital, Lusaka, eight people died after consuming a locally brewed drink.

In Zambia, a popular yet illegal homemade beer called kachasu is prevalent. It is made from fermented corn husks, sugar, yeast, and other additives known only to the producers. It turns out that one of those additives can be shoe polish. A 10-ounce bottle of kachasu costs approximately 30 cents (US) and is half the price of beer produced by large breweries.

In recent months, Zambia has seen a significant increase in the consumption of homemade alcohol, coinciding with a cholera outbreak that began at the start of the year. In this African country, there is a belief that a bottle of kachasu can prevent the disease. Doctors disagree. Medical professionals warn that it is kachasu that may be contributing to the spread of the epidemic.

Source: PAP