Serial killer suspected of poisoning patients at Japanese hospital

THEY died within two days of each other. Both patients stayed on the same floor and both were poisoned via an IV drip.

Two patients died after being poisoned via an intravenous drip in Japan. Picture: iStock

THEY died within two days of each other.

Both patients had stayed on the same hospital floor, and both had been poisoned.

Now fears are growing that a serial killer is on the loose after it emerged 46 other patients have died on the same hospital floor since July.

Suspicions were raised after the recent deaths of two men whose autopsies revealed antiseptic was in their systems.

Japanese police confirmed the 88-year-old men had died at Oguchi Hospital, Yokohama, after being poisoned but would not elaborate further on the investigation.

Solo Nishikawa and Nobuo Yamaki died on September 18 and 20 other after having a drip inserted.

According to public broadcaster NHK, their deaths were caused by a chemical found in antiseptic.

The chemical is the same as one in a disinfectant used at the Oguchi Hospital’s nurse’s station, Jiji Press news agency reported.

According to The Japan Times, investigators found 10 unused intravenous bags which had holes in the rubber seals, leading police to suspect the suspect may have medical knowledge.

Hospital sources told the paper there was a spate of deaths from mid-August to mid-September but could not confirm they were due to infections.

Sources said the deaths could be due to the hospital accepting more sick patients.

The hospital specialises in elderly care and its staff also look after terminally ill patients.

However proving a link between the two most recent deaths and 46 others may be difficult because the majority of bodies have already been cremated.

The investigation comes more than two months after the murder of 19 people at a centre for the mentally disabled, Japan’s worst killing spree in decades.

Satoshi Uematsu reportedly told police “it would be better if disabled people disappeared” when he was arrested over the stabbing frenzy which left 26 others injured.

And in 2000 a male nurse was charged with killing one patient and attempting to murder four others by poisoning them at a clinic in the northern Japanese city of Sendai.

— with AFP