The number of deaths due to poisoning caused by drinks adulterated with methanol has risen to 10 in São Paulo, according to a bulletin updated on Wednesday (26/11) by the State Department of Health (SES-SP). The latest victim is a 26-year-old man, a resident of Sorocaba, who died after ingesting a highly toxic substance.
Until then, the state had recorded 9 deaths due to poisoning from drinks adulterated with methanol. According to SES-SP, eight cases remain under investigation, including five deaths that rely on laboratory confirmation. The deaths under investigation include patients from Guariba, São Vicente, São José dos Campos and two from Cajamar.
Current status of methanol poisoning cases in SP state
- 49 confirmed cases of poisoning in the state.
- 516 suspicions dropped by the Health Department.
The ten confirmed victims are:
- Capital: Four men, ages 26, 45, 48, and 54 years old.
- São Bernardo do Campo: 30-year-old woman.
- Osasco: Three young men, ages 23, 25 and 27.
- Jundiay: 37-year-old man.
- Sorocaba: 26-year-old male (last case).
Methanol is a simple, liquid, colorless and highly toxic alcohol, mainly used in the chemical industry and in the production of solvents, plastics, paints and fuels. When ingested, the body converts methanol into more dangerous substances, such as formaldehyde and formic acid, which attack the central nervous system and can seriously damage the eyes.
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The government maintains that methanol is not licensed for human consumption and that ingesting it, even in small quantities, can cause blindness, permanent neurological damage and death. The Civil Police continues to investigate the source of the adulterated drinks and is seeking to identify those responsible for distributing them.