Sunset Music Festival: Mystery drug kills two people and leaves 57 in hospital in Florida
'That's a very high number. I am sure they were prepared for that, but not for the severity,' says Alfred Aleguas from Florida Poison Control
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Your support makes all the difference.Two people have died and 57 required hospital treatment after taking an unknown drug at a music festival in Florida.
Police have launched an investigation into how the drug, which bypassed checks by security, affected so many people at the Sunset Music Festival in Tampa, Florida.
Katie Bermudez, 21, from Kissimmee and Alex Hanes, 22, from Melbourne in Florida both died after being taken from the Raymond James Stadium to a nearby hospital.
A spokesperson for St Joseph Hospital in Tampa told WFLA the number of people admitted over the weekend for drug overdoses as "frightening".
Florida Poison Control has said it is currently analysing of all those who were treated, attempting to match symptoms to potential drug sources.
Alfred Aleguas of Florida Poison Control said: "That's a very high number. I am sure they were prepared for that, but not for the severity."
The Tampa Police Department have said drug-sniffer dogs were hired by the festival's organisers to screen people at the door.
Steve Hegarty from the Tampa Police Department said: "This year, they did more than they did the previous year.
"I don't know what plans they have for next year, but they are going to be well aware of the numbers we had this year."
Katie's mother, Nancy Bermudez, said: "We don't know [what happened]...They have an autopsy going on.
"The hospital didn't know, they were bewildered with how to treat this."
Mrs Bermudez, a social worker, told Fox 13 she didn't believe Katie was a heavy drug user.
She advised other parents to keep in constant communication with their children: "Life is choices, and your choices can affect you further on. We told Katie. Katie did not make this choice on her own."
The Sunset Music Festival released the following statement: "The health, safety and welfare of our fans and community is Sunset Music Festival's first priority and we take every measure to create a safe environment at our events.
"Any loss of life is a tragedy and we extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those affected.
"Due to the on-going investigation by the medical examiner's office, Sunset will not issue additional comments at this time."
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