Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. said Friday that it has confirmed a fifth death linked to its red yeast rice dietary supplements.

The Japanese company has received reports of illness linked to the "beni-koji choleste help" supplements and recalled the products. The relationship between the deaths and the supplements remains unclear, and Kobayashi Pharmaceutical President Akihiro Kobayashi will hold a press conference later in the day in Osaka.

The drugmaker announced on March 22 that people who took the supplements were experiencing symptoms such as kidney disease.

The company has not disclosed the age, sex or address of anyone who has died. It suspects an unknown substance derived from mold may have caused the problems but is unable to ascertain a specific cause.

A total of 93 people have been hospitalized after consuming the supplements, the health ministry said Thursday, adding that Kobayashi Pharmaceutical had received about 12,000 inquiries about the problems.

==Kyodo

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