The news hit headlines in local media and abroad: so far 20 people have died and 74 others are fighting for their lives after consuming highly toxic, poisoned cocaine.

The fact is that the death toll is rising with each updated report and there might be more victims.

White death. A massacre with an uncertain end, this is how a columnist with Pagina 12, Raul Kollmann, entitled his article on Thursday to refer to the tragic event that has saddened several municipalities in Buenos Aires province: Hurlingham, San Martin, Tres de Febrero, Moron, Tigre, Ituzaingo and General Rodriguez.

Buenos Aires authorities issued an epidemiological alert on Wednesday after the identification of cases with signs of shock, sensory depression, respiratory distress, psycho-motor excitement and a history of recent cocaine use.

The outcome of this situation is yet to be determined. Provincial government sources said that the number of deaths and people in intensive care units might increase, as cases have been reported in the street and also in several homes.

According to the attorney general of San Martin, Marcelo Lapargo, the poisoned drugs may be the result of a settling of scores between gangs of traffickers, but investigations are still in progress.

There were no records of similar cases in Argentina.

jg/etc /msm/may