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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/04/backpackers-in-perth-overdosed-on-travel-sickness-drug-they-thought-was-cocaine
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Backpackers in Perth overdosed on travel sickness drug they thought was cocaine | Backpackers in Perth overdosed on travel sickness drug they thought was cocaine |
| (12 days later) | |
| Two French people in critical condition and a German woman in an induced coma after snorting hyoscine | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Thu 4 Jan 2018 04.50 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 4 Jan 2018 13.51 GMT | |
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| The drug that caused a mass overdose among nine backpackers who were taken to hospital in Perth has been identified as a common prescription drug called hyoscine, which is used to treat travel sickness. | The drug that caused a mass overdose among nine backpackers who were taken to hospital in Perth has been identified as a common prescription drug called hyoscine, which is used to treat travel sickness. |
| The group of backpackers, aged 21 to 25, thought they were snorting cocaine on Tuesday night but suffered violent reactions, with three put in intensive care in induced comas. | The group of backpackers, aged 21 to 25, thought they were snorting cocaine on Tuesday night but suffered violent reactions, with three put in intensive care in induced comas. |
| The group reportedly included young people from France, Germany, Italy and Morocco. | The group reportedly included young people from France, Germany, Italy and Morocco. |
| Two people, both French, remained in a critical condition on Thursday, while a German woman was still in an induced coma in a stable condition. The rest have been released from hospital. | Two people, both French, remained in a critical condition on Thursday, while a German woman was still in an induced coma in a stable condition. The rest have been released from hospital. |
| The people who took the drugs – seven men and two women – were rushed to three Perth hospitals about midnight on Tuesday after a triple-zero call was made from a house in Colombo Street, Victoria Park. | The people who took the drugs – seven men and two women – were rushed to three Perth hospitals about midnight on Tuesday after a triple-zero call was made from a house in Colombo Street, Victoria Park. |
| WA police said emergency services staff found “numerous people” in the house who were either unconscious or semi-unconscious. | WA police said emergency services staff found “numerous people” in the house who were either unconscious or semi-unconscious. |
| One of the injured backpackers told the West Australian the ordeal was “terrifying” and said he was “trying to scream for help” but his mouth wouldn’t move. | One of the injured backpackers told the West Australian the ordeal was “terrifying” and said he was “trying to scream for help” but his mouth wouldn’t move. |
| A Royal Perth hospital emergency doctor, David McCutcheon, said the group might have died but for the fact that two flatmates who didn’t take the drug were able to call 000, the paper reported. | A Royal Perth hospital emergency doctor, David McCutcheon, said the group might have died but for the fact that two flatmates who didn’t take the drug were able to call 000, the paper reported. |
| “It was very lucky there was someone on scene who could call an ambulance, otherwise their lives would have been put in danger,” he said. | “It was very lucky there was someone on scene who could call an ambulance, otherwise their lives would have been put in danger,” he said. |
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