Poisoned Alcohol Death Toll Continues To Rise In Libya; 79 Dead, More Sick From Poisonous Methanol In Illegal Alcoholic Drinks

The poisoned alcohol death toll in Libya has risen to 79 in the past four days.

The top security official in Libya's capital city has said that the death toll is a result of drinking poisoned homemade alcohol, suspected of containing poisonous methanol, according to the Associated Press.

The Tripoli security chief, Colonel Mahmoud al-Sharif, said authorities are searching for two people suspected for creating of the poisonous alcoholic drinks.

Al-Sharif said that authorities are investigating whether it was the addition of methanol or bad fermentation that caused the large death toll.

At least seven people were found dead in their beds after consuming bad liquor. The victims started arriving at area hospitals on March 7.

The victims included 10 women, according to Al-Sharif's statement.

The initial death report given by health minister Nouri Doghman was numbered at 60. Al-Sharif had to raise the death toll to include more recent deaths.

However, not all victims affected by the poisoned alcohol died.

Doghman said that some people who survived were blinded, but others went into comas or suffered kidney failure, according to the AP.

Delayed relief efforts were partially blamed for the increasing death toll.

Doghman said the dead range in age from 19 to 50, and include some Algerians and Tunisians.

In Libya, the sale and consumption of alcohol is banned, prompting some people who want to drink to create their own homemade liquor.

Some citizens of the North African country turn to the black market to buy alcohol, which is not regulated or controlled.