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First Record of Methanol Poisoning from Liquor in Mauá Affects 47-Year-Old Man Hospitalized in ICU on Hemodialysis After Drinking Liquor in Two Bars Between November 21 and 22, While São Paulo Accumulates Ten Deaths and 49 Confirmed Cases of Adulterated Beverages, Raising Concerns Among Health Authorities.
The City Hall of Mauá, in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, confirmed on Friday, the 5th, the first case of methanol poisoning from liquor, involving a 47-year-old man who reported consuming liquor in two bars in the city between November 21 and 22, before presenting severe symptoms and seeking medical care.
After experiencing severe headache, fatigue, blurred vision, and mental confusion, the patient sought help at Nardini Hospital on the 23rd, was hospitalized, intubated, and transferred to the ICU, where he has been undergoing hemodialysis sessions since November 26, amid a health crisis of adulterated alcoholic beverages that has already caused ten deaths and 49 confirmed cases in the State of São Paulo and, according to the Ministry of Health, 59 confirmed cases of methanol poisoning in the country as of October 29, in addition to another 44 still under investigation.
Case in Mauá: Liquor Served in Two Bars and Test Confirms Methanol
According to the City Hall of Mauá, the patient told health teams that he consumed shots of liquor in two establishments in the municipality on November 21 and 22.
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After the onset of symptoms, the 47-year-old man was treated at Nardini Hospital on the 23rd, where the clinical picture quickly drew the doctors’ attention to the possibility of methanol poisoning from liquor.
The Epidemiological Surveillance conducted a urine test, which confirmed the presence of methanol in the patient’s body.
Thus, the case was officially classified as the first episode of methanol poisoning related to the consumption of liquor in Mauá, integrating the state panel of occurrences of adulterated alcoholic beverages.
Severe Symptoms, Intubation, and Hemodialysis in the ICU
The clinical picture progressed critically in a few days. After the initial hospitalization, the patient began to show significant impairment of overall health, leading the medical team to opt for intubation and transfer to the ICU.
Since November 26, he has been undergoing hemodialysis sessions, a measure used to help the body eliminate the toxic substance and reduce kidney damage.
Health authorities emphasize that symptoms such as severe headache, extreme fatigue, visual disturbances, and mental confusion after consuming alcoholic beverages may indicate methanol poisoning from liquor or other adulterated drinks, requiring immediate medical attention.
The sooner treatment is initiated, the greater the chances of reducing severe sequelae and preventing deaths.
Methanol: Industrial Substance That Can Be Fatal When Ingested
Methanol is used in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, and other industrial products, not suitable for human consumption.
When ingested, even in small quantities, it can cause neurological injuries, blindness, and death, in addition to compromising organs such as the liver and kidneys. In adulterated beverages, it is often added clandestinely, replacing suitable alcohol for consumption.
In the current context, methanol poisoning from liquor and other illegal beverages is being treated as a public health emergency by state and federal authorities.
The risk is heightened because often the appearance and taste of the beverage do not allow the consumer to perceive that the product has been adulterated, increasing involuntary exposure to the substance.
Crisis in São Paulo: Ten Deaths, 49 Confirmed Cases, and Ongoing Investigations
The case in Mauá occurs while the State of São Paulo faces a public health crisis linked to beverages adulterated with methanol.
According to the latest state epidemiological bulletin, there are already ten deaths and 49 confirmed cases of poisoning. Another 516 suspected cases have been ruled out, while three are still under investigation.
There are also five deaths under analysis, recorded in the municipalities of Guariba, São Vicente, São José dos Campos, and Cajamar, which are still awaiting conclusions of reports to confirm or not the association with methanol.
These numbers reinforce the alert for consumers to be wary of very cheap beverages, without proper labeling or sold in places with unclear provenance.
Deaths in Sorocaba, the Capital, and Other São Paulo Cities
The most recent confirmed death by poisoning occurred in Sorocaba. Felipe Henrique Alves da Silva, 26 years old, died on August 16, and an official report released at the end of November indicated an association between methanol consumption and cocaine use.
Felipe’s case is a symbol of the seriousness of the current wave of poisoning from adulterated substances in the State.
Among the confirmed deaths in São Paulo, there are records in the capital, involving four men aged 26, 45, 48, and 54 years.
In São Bernardo do Campo, a 30-year-old woman died from poisoning. In Osasco, authorities confirmed three victims: two men aged 23 and 25 and a woman aged 27. In Jundiaí, the death of a 37-year-old man was recorded.
These cases, combined with the first record of methanol poisoning from liquor in Mauá, highlight that the problem spreads across different age groups and regions, affecting everyone from young adults to middle-aged individuals, in various contexts of consuming adulterated beverages.
National Overview: 59 Confirmed Cases and Four States Besides São Paulo
According to data from the Ministry of Health updated on October 29, Brazil records 59 confirmed cases of methanol poisoning and another 44 under investigation.
In addition to São Paulo, there are occurrences in Pernambuco, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso, showing that the circulation of beverages adulterated with methanol is not restricted to a single state.
In light of this scenario, federal and state authorities reinforce guidelines for the population to prefer beverages with known provenance, properly labeled, and purchased in trusted establishments.
In any suspicion of methanol poisoning from liquor or another beverage, the recommendation is to seek immediate medical attention and, whenever possible, bring the consumed product to facilitate the investigation.
For you, who are following this crisis, how should the government and consumers act to reduce the risk of methanol poisoning from liquor and other adulterated beverages in the country?
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