The Hanoi Department of Food Safety and Hygiene reported on the results of the investigation and monitoring of methanol poisoning patients in Trat Cau village, Tien Phong commune, Thuong Tin district, Hanoi.
Previously, the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital received 4 patients hospitalized with methanol (industrial alcohol) poisoning, including 1 death.
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In response to the above incident, the investigation and monitoring team collected 2 samples of hawthorn wine (including: 1 sample from the family that held the wedding and 1 sample from the home of one of the 5 patients) and sent them to the testing agency. The remaining wine at the wedding party has been sealed, awaiting testing results.
In addition, 4 patients with methanol poisoning had blood methanol levels ranging from 51 mg/dL to 188.8 mg/dL. Hawthorn wine is also suspected of causing the poisoning.
Regarding the above incident, the Hanoi Department of Food Safety and Hygiene requested units and localities to continue to monitor and investigate the situation of methanol poisoning in the area, at the same time monitor the patient's progress, promptly detect suspected cases of methanol poisoning, organize emergency care, timely treatment, and report according to regulations.
In addition, units and localities investigate and count alcohol production and trading establishments, check the origin of alcohol, and organize the traceability of alcohol products related to patients with methanol poisoning.
In addition, the Food Safety Department also requested the Thuong Tin District Health Department to advise the District People's Committee to direct relevant units to strengthen inspection and supervision of food safety at alcohol production and trading establishments, focusing on craft alcohol brewing establishments, mixed alcohol at restaurants, street food, beverage shops, eateries, grocery stores, etc.
Regarding this incident, the Department of Food Safety, Ministry of Health requested the Hanoi Department of Health to coordinate with the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade to investigate and prevent the use and circulation of the above-mentioned alcohol products in the area.
The Hanoi Department of Health coordinates with the Department of Industry and Trade and local authorities to strengthen inspection and supervision of food safety at alcohol production and trading establishments, focusing on small-scale alcohol production and trading establishments, especially craft alcohol brewing establishments.
Authorities promptly prevent unsafely produced and mixed alcohol, alcohol of unknown origin, and alcohol without labels that pose a risk to consumers' health from being circulated on the market.
Also regarding Methanol poisoning, recently, the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital has regularly received cases of methanol poisoning, including many serious and fatal patients.
Through analyzing alcohol poisoning cases, Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, said that white wine mixed with industrial alcohol methanol is the leading cause of poisoning, followed by wine soaked with poisonous forest plants, wine soaked with water chestnuts, animals...
Methanol is very similar to regular ethanol (alcohol made from grain), even sweeter and easier to drink, so it is difficult to distinguish. When first drinking, the patient also feels similar to being drunk, so it is easy to confuse.
However, about 1-2 days later, the patient may have blurred vision, drowsiness, rapid and deep breathing, convulsions, and coma. When arriving at the hospital, most have brain damage, blindness, and low blood pressure, which is critical.
At the Poison Control Center, the mortality rate of patients with methanol poisoning is approximately 30%. At lower-level medical facilities, this figure is even up to 50%. In cases where patients are saved, they will suffer severe sequelae for the rest of their lives.
Common symptoms of methanol poisoning include nausea, severe vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain, headache, low blood pressure, dizziness or disorientation, bluish lips and fingernails, agitated behavior, blurred or unclear vision, blindness, difficulty breathing, seizures, coma, and death.
Symptoms of methanol poisoning usually appear within 30 minutes of drinking but may be later depending on the amount of alcohol the patient drinks. Symptoms of poisoning usually have two stages, including: The hidden stage (the first few hours to 30 hours) and the stage of obvious poisoning that follows. Because the initial symptoms are often hidden and mild, they are often subjective and ignored by the patient.
According to Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Health Vu Cao Cuong, methanol poisoning is not a new problem and it is necessary to continue implementing many solutions to minimize unfortunate poisoning incidents.
“We need to continue to strengthen propaganda and guide people to raise awareness and responsibility in alcohol production and trading, and not to abuse alcohol. Absolutely do not use strange animals and plants of unknown species and origin to soak in alcohol; do not drink alcohol of unknown origin, source, or label.
Along with that, the city's authorities continue to strengthen inspection, examination and supervision of food safety for alcohol production and trading establishments, especially small-scale establishments that brew alcohol by hand; promptly prevent unsafe types of alcohol from circulating on the market," Mr. Vu Cao Cuong emphasized.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/ha-noi-thong-tin-moi-ve-vu-ngo-doc-methanol-d220857.html
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