970x125
Three people have died and more than 200 others have fallen ill in a wave of methanol poisoning cases stemming from suspected tainted alcohol spreading through Brazil.
Bruna Araújo de Souza, 30; Marcos Antônio Jorge Júnior, 46; and Ricardo Lopes Mira, 50, all died between mid-September and early October after drinking the dangerous liquid at three separate bars, according to Brazilian media and health officials.
Approximately 225 other cases have been confirmed, with most reported in São Paulo, a bustling cultural hub home to nearly 12 million people.
At least 11 businesses have closed and more than 10,000 bottles of alcohol have been seized by authorities.
It’s still unclear if the mass contamination was accidental, so authorities are urging the public to avoid bootleg alcohol and drinks lacking proper labels, safety seals or tax stamps.
“I advise everyone to avoid distilled products, especially colorless ones, unless you’re certain of their origin. These are not essential items,” Brazil’s Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said.
Many bar owners and managers are doing the same.
“Clients have been worried, and we’re advising them it’s better not to drink cocktails,” Edison Trindade, a bar manager in São Paulo, said.
While methanol is technically a type of alcohol, it’s the kind used in solvents, fuel, and even antifreeze — so consuming even the smallest drop can prove fatal. Ethanol is commonly found in boozy drinks.
Methanol poisoning can mimic hangover symptoms early on, so some don’t realize that they’re sick until it’s too late.
In recent weeks, locals in Brazil have been admitted into intensive care with a variety of symptoms, including blindness, according to local media.
Araújo de Souza, Jorge Júnior, and Lopes Mira all died within a few days of drinking tainted vodka at different bars in São Paulo, Brazilian media reported.
São Paulo state and national health officials assured that they are investigating other suspected methanol poisoning deaths.
Still, this isn’t Brazil’s first bout with such an outbreak.
In 1999, at least 51 people died of methanol poisoning in the northeast region of Bahia, roughly 1,000 miles outside of Rio de Janeiro.
In 2022, one of Brazil’s neighbors, Peru, recorded at least 54 deaths in a similar outbreak.
With Post wires.
