The number of people in the Siberian city of Irkutsk who have died after drinking a bath lotion containing methanol has risen to 71, the regional Health Ministry said on Thursday.

    "The number of those brought to the Forensic Medical Examination Bureau has risen to 31, 40 people have died in hospitals. The death toll has thus climbed to 71, while 36 people remain in hospitals," according to a statement by the Russian health ministry, reported by Itar tass.

    Earlier reports said that over 60 people have died in the Irkutsk region between December 17 and December 21 of poisoning with alcohol-containing liquids, including a bath lotion called , while the number of registered cases has exceeded 100.

    Investigators have detained 12 people suspected of producing and selling the bath essence.

Source: QNA