4 people in Vung Tau were hospitalized with suspected alcohol poisoning

Vung Tau Hospital said the patients were admitted to the hospital on the afternoon of December 21 with fatigue and difficulty breathing, including a 24-year-old male who had convulsions and cardiac arrest. After being resuscitated, the patient’s heart beat again. The team initially diagnosed 4 people suspected of methanol poisoning and are undergoing dialysis.

According to verification from the authorities, 6 people came to eat snakehead fish soup at the restaurant on April 30 Street, Ward 11, on the afternoon of December 19. The group of customers wanted to drink alcohol, so the owner went to a nearby grocery store to buy a 5 liter can (colorless wine) and poured it into a 500 ml bottle for them to use. The group drank four bottles.

After returning home, they gradually felt tired, did not vomit, but felt tired and dizzy the next day, and were hospitalized.

Authorities quickly tested the remaining alcohol sample at the banh noodle shop and the results were positive for methanol. As for alcohol samples from grocery stores and related alcohol retail businesses, the results were negative.

Methanol is very similar to regular ethanol, even sweeter and easier to drink. When first drinking, the patient feels similar to being drunk, so it is easy to get confused. However, about 1-2 days later, the patient may have blurred vision, drowsiness, rapid and deep breathing, convulsions, and coma. When they arrived at the hospital, most of them had brain damage, blindness, low blood pressure, and were in critical condition.

People need to raise awareness of ensuring food safety in the production, business and use of alcohol. Do not abuse alcohol, do not use strange animals or plants of unknown origin to soak alcohol. Absolutely avoid drinking alcohol of unknown origin, unlabeled, or freely sold on the market.