Slovakia has banned the sale of hard alcohol from the Czech Republic amid a wave of poisonings from methanol-tainted bootleg spirits.



When the ban was announced on September 18, Slovak Agriculture Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said the prohibition was being imposed as a precaution after the government learned that grocery chains were planning big sales of Czech alcohol the following day.



Meanwhile, in the east of the Czech Republic, another man died on September 18 from drinking tainted bootleg alcohol -- raising the death toll in the country to 22.



On September 15, Poland banned the sale of all Czech-made alcohol except for beer and wine after five deaths in recent weeks from poisonous spirits.



On September 14, the Czech Health Ministry imposed a blanket ban on sales of spirits with more than 20 percent alcohol. Health Minister Leos Heger said the ban could last for months.



Based on reporting by AFP and CTK