The death toll from contaminated fentanyl administered in Argentina’s hospitals grew to over 100 on Thursday, the government said, blaming a local pharma lab as outrage grew over the slow response to the crisis.
Since May, the country has been trying to determine how many deaths were linked to bacteria-infected supplies of the drug used in hospitals in four provinces, as well as the capital Buenos Aires.
Following an investigation, Argentina’s drug regulatory agency ANMAT had shut down the lab three months before the first deaths from the tainted fentanyl occurred, according to statement released.
Experts have warned that the death toll could rise as new medical records are reviewed and cases are confirmed in hospitals that to date had not reported any fentanyl-linked deaths.