The sale and distribution of alcohol will be prohibited in UB until January 20. News of the temporary ban on sales was announced during a press conference held by a working group investigating five recent alcohol-related deaths. On January 16, in Bayangol District, five people died from what is believed to be alcohol poisoning. Samples of the alcohol believed to have been consumed were sent to the National Institute of Forensic Science for analysis. Chief of the Ulaanbaatar Police Department J.Erdenebold stated during the press conference that four of the five deceased had died due to poisoning from an undetermined consumed substance. There were reports that liquid substances other than alcohol made for consumption were also found by law enforcement, in possible connection to the deaths, including a bottle of windshield wiper fluid. As the investigation into the deaths is ongoing, the head of the working group, Deputy Mayor J.Batbayasgalan, reported that a decision was made to halt the sale and supply of alcohol temporarily. “This is a precautionary effort being made in order to protect the health and safety of Ulaanbaatar’s residents,” he said.