15 people died in the Moroccan city of Kenitra, Grasse, from alcohol poisoning, with 8 cases recorded inside the hospital and 7 cases outside it.
The total number of poisoning cases reached 87, with many cases transported in ambulances or private cars.
The sources confirmed that the cases who arrived at the hospital were suffering from poisoning of varying severity, which required intensive medical efforts to rescue them and save them from a serious health condition.
The families of the victims and injured accused a local company of poisoning the alcoholic substance “Al-Mahya,” and demanded a comprehensive investigation into the source of the presence of this harmful substance and the path of its distribution.
In light of this incident, calls are increasing for tightening control over the distribution of alcoholic beverages and examining their quality to ensure the safety of human consumption.
The water of life (or Mahya in the Moroccan dialect) is a distilled Sephardic Jewish brandy made from various fruits such as jujubes, figs, dates, and grapes and flavored with anise.
Its name, derived from the Arabic language, translates to “water of life.” Its origin goes back to Morocco, and it has a historical connection to the Moroccan Jewish population who produced it before their migration during the last half of the twentieth century.
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