Death toll from Russian alcohol poisoning incident rises to 34

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Russian Investigative Committee investigate a criminal case of deaths of people from alcohol poisoning after consuming locally produced spirits, in Orenburg Region, Russia, in this still image taken from video released October 9, 2021. Investigative Committee of Russia/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The death toll from a mass poisoning linked to illegal alcohol in southwest Russia rose to 34 on Sunday, and 24 more people were being treated in hospital, local authorities said.

Investigators in the Orenburg region opened criminal cases after people began dying of alcohol poisoning this week. Police have since detained 10 people in probes into the production and sale of illegal alcohol, TASS news agency reported.