Tallinn - A total of 47 people were confirmed dead yesterday after drinking a lethal batch of bootleg alcohol in southern Estonia, and doctors said hope is fading for many of the 77 in hospital.
New cases are admitted to hospital almost hourly, even though several days have passed since the liquor laced with poisonous methyl alcohol was sold in refilled half-litre plastic soda bottles over the weekend in the seaside resort of Parnu.
Many of those in hospital are in a coma.
Estonian national police said yesterday 12 suspects had been detained and charged with unintentional homicide, which carries a jail term of up to three years.