The death counts due to consumption of spurious liquor in Assam's Golaghat and Jorhat districts have gone up to 80 on Saturday, according to reports. Besides, over 200 have so far taken ill after consuming poisonous country liquor, known locally as hooch, in two districts of the north-eastern state. An investigation has been started by the Excise department in connection to the matter, DSP Golaghat said. "Assam: Death toll due to consumption of spurious liquor in Assam's Golaghat and Jorhat districts has gone up to 80. DSP Golaghat says the Excise department has started an investigation. Visuals from Golaghat,” the news agency ANI reported. #UPDATE Assam Health Department: Death toll rises to 80 in Golaghat & Jorhat districts due to consumption of spurious liquor. https://t.co/HCrbBqnn6o — ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2019 Early in the day, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma visited the Jorhat Medical College Hospital (JMCH) to take a stalk of the situation and said the death toll is rising every minute. "This morning the death toll in Golaghat and Jorhat districts was 59 and 200 people have been admitted to hospitals. The death toll and the number of admitted people are changing minute by minute," Sarma told reporters after meeting some patients at the hospital. "I have been told here that 142 people have been admitted to Jorhat Medical College Hospital and 36 of them are women. Twelve people have died here. More patients have been admitted since I came here," the minister said. Director of Medical Education Anup Barman will supervise the patients' treatment, Sarma added. Meanwhile, doctors from Assam Medical College Hospital in the neighbouring Dibrugarh district and Tezpur Medical College in Sonitpur district were rushed to Jorhat and Golaghat to assist in the treatment of the affected people. (With inputs from agencies)

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