Thirty-three people have died in Istanbul this week after having drunk tainted alcohol while 48 others received hospital treatment, Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu reported on Thursday. A previous toll on Wednesday counted 23 deaths since Monday in Turkey’s largest city.

ISTANBUL: Nineteen people who drank tainted alcohol in Istanbul have died in the past 48 hours, with dozens more being treated for poisoning, the Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday (Jan 15). The figure raised a toll given late Tuesday of 11 dead in 24 hours,

With 38 people dead in four days and 26 in intensive care after drinking bootleg liquor in Istanbul, the politically charged debate over Turkey's soaring alcohol taxes has swung back into the spotlight.

At least thirty people have died in three days in Istanbul after consuming tainted alcohol. Many people blamed the deaths on high prices at liquor shops.