TIRANA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Some 76 people were sent to Albania's capital hospitals in early hours of Sunday for medical care due to eye and skin irritation, the Albanian Ministry of Health confirmed.
All these people, some of whom were hospitalized while others sent back home after receiving medical care, felt the first symptoms few hours after attending the opening campaign rally of Albania's main opposition Democratic Party on Saturday night.
Patients showed signs such as eye rashes, eye burns, irritation of the skin in exposed areas of the face and neck, as well as in special cases, even light breathing difficulties, the ministry confirmed in its press release on Sunday.
Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha was also among those seeking medical attention on Sunday morning, the ministry added.
Although no life-threatening injuries have been reported, the Ministry of Health here said that nine persons were under observation of specialists due to their complications.
Such incident was also confirmed by the police who said in a press release that they had already started the full investigation of the event.
According to sources from Tirana police, people said at the hospital that they had been unable to see clearly following "a white powder" being thrown in the air near the opposition leader during the rally.
The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the Police Directorate are making a full investigation into the event, the Health Ministry said.
Albania is scheduled to hold general elections on June 25 and on Saturday, main political parties organized events to mark the official opening of campaign.
