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Alcohol tainted with methanol suspected of killing at least 19 people in Costa Rica
BY JASON SILVERSTEIN
UPDATED ON: JULY 22, 2019 / 10:18 AM / CBS NEWS
Costa Rica has issued a national alert about tainted alcohol after 19 people were confirmed to have died over the past few weeks from methanol poisoning. The government says several alcohol brands have been tainted with methanol, a poisonous alcohol found in solvents and antifreeze.
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Translation Google
Week closes with 19 suspicious deaths from methanol poisoning
Friday, July 19, 2019 . At the end of the week, the Ministry of Health confirms 19 suspected deaths from methanol poisoning, counted between June and July.
Of these cases, 14 are men and five are women, aged between 32 and 72 years, who died: seven in San Jos?, four in Cartago, three in Lim?n, two in Guanacaste, one in Heredia and two pending investigation . It is important to emphasize that these data are preliminary as investigations continue.
As for the dates of death according to epidemiological week, they are distributed as follows:
Week 23 (June 2-8): A case.
Week 26 (June 23-29): Two cases
Week 27 (June 30 to July 6): Two cases.
Week 28 (July 7 to 13): Eight cases.
Week 29 (July 14-20): Six cases.
Today, about 30,000 seized containers of ?Guaro Montano?, ?Guaro Gran Apache?, ?Star Brandy?, ?Baron Red Brandy?, ?Timbuka Brandy? and ?Molotov Brandy? are counted. The Ministry of Health continues to carry out operations throughout the national territory in order to reduce the exposure of consumers to adulterated products.
The amount with which a person can have fatal consequences when ingesting alcoholic drinks adulterated with methanol varies according to the concentration of methanol in the drink (i.e. if it is pure or combined with other alcohols), in addition to the person's weight and if it is habitual consumer of liquor.
However, in general terms a dose of 0.2 milliliters of 100% methanol per kilogram of the person's weight, theoretically (assuming 100% absorption) would result in a concentration of toxic methanol.
Ministry of Health. Communication and Image. Tel: 2233-2854 E-mail: prensa@misalud.go.cr
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It should be noted that "Guaro Gran Apache", "Red Star Brandy", "Guaro Montano", "Baron Red Brandy", "Timbuka Brandy and" Molotov Brandy "are registered with the Ministry of Health, so it is suspected that Counterfeit products of these brands circulate in the national market, despite the impossibility of distinguishing between the original and the adulterated, using the precautionary principle, the following recommendations are issued: Recommendations to the general population
BY JASON SILVERSTEIN
UPDATED ON: JULY 22, 2019 / 10:18 AM / CBS NEWS
Costa Rica has issued a national alert about tainted alcohol after 19 people were confirmed to have died over the past few weeks from methanol poisoning. The government says several alcohol brands have been tainted with methanol, a poisonous alcohol found in solvents and antifreeze.
...
-------------------------------------------------
Translation Google
Week closes with 19 suspicious deaths from methanol poisoning
Friday, July 19, 2019 . At the end of the week, the Ministry of Health confirms 19 suspected deaths from methanol poisoning, counted between June and July.
Of these cases, 14 are men and five are women, aged between 32 and 72 years, who died: seven in San Jos?, four in Cartago, three in Lim?n, two in Guanacaste, one in Heredia and two pending investigation . It is important to emphasize that these data are preliminary as investigations continue.
As for the dates of death according to epidemiological week, they are distributed as follows:
Week 23 (June 2-8): A case.
Week 26 (June 23-29): Two cases
Week 27 (June 30 to July 6): Two cases.
Week 28 (July 7 to 13): Eight cases.
Week 29 (July 14-20): Six cases.
Today, about 30,000 seized containers of ?Guaro Montano?, ?Guaro Gran Apache?, ?Star Brandy?, ?Baron Red Brandy?, ?Timbuka Brandy? and ?Molotov Brandy? are counted. The Ministry of Health continues to carry out operations throughout the national territory in order to reduce the exposure of consumers to adulterated products.
The amount with which a person can have fatal consequences when ingesting alcoholic drinks adulterated with methanol varies according to the concentration of methanol in the drink (i.e. if it is pure or combined with other alcohols), in addition to the person's weight and if it is habitual consumer of liquor.
However, in general terms a dose of 0.2 milliliters of 100% methanol per kilogram of the person's weight, theoretically (assuming 100% absorption) would result in a concentration of toxic methanol.
Ministry of Health. Communication and Image. Tel: 2233-2854 E-mail: prensa@misalud.go.cr
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# EXTENSION OF HEALTH ALERT:
DETECTION OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ADULTERATED WITH METHANOL: "GUARO GRAN APACHE", "AGUARDIENTE ESTRELLA ROJA", "GUARO MONTANO", "AGUARDIENTE BAR?N ROJO", "AGUARDIENTE TIMBUKA" AND "AGUARDIENTE MOLOTOV"
Thursday, July 18, 2019 . The Ministry of Health, through the Directorate of Regulation of Products of Health Interest, alerts the general population about the sale of products packaged in bottles with labels alluding to ?Guaro Gran Apache?, ?Brandy Red Star?, ?Guaro Montano ?,? Bar?n Rojo Brandy ?,? Timbuka Brandy ?and? Molotov Brandy ?, which according to laboratory sample results are adulterated with Methanol. On July 5, the Ministry issued an alert for the methanol adulteration of a product identified on its label as ?Guaro Montano?, according to the samples collected. In follow-up to this alert, it was found that other products with labels that indicate ?Baron Red Brandy?, ?Molotov Brandy? and ?Timbuka Brandy,? are also adulterated with methanol. Therefore, samples of other similar products were taken and adulteration was found in the packaging and labeled "Guaro Gran Apache" and "Red Star Brandy". It should be noted that "Guaro Gran Apache", "Red Star Brandy", "Guaro Montano", "Baron Red Brandy", "Timbuka Brandy and" Molotov Brandy "are registered with the Ministry of Health, so it is suspected that Counterfeit products of these brands circulate in the national market, despite the impossibility of distinguishing between the original and the adulterated, using the precautionary principle, the following recommendations are issued: Recommendations to the general population
- Do not consume or purchase ?Guaro Gran Apache?, ?Red Star Brandy?, ?Guaro Montano?, ?Baron Red Brandy?, ?Timbuka Brandy? or ?Molotov Brandy? if it is not guaranteed to be the original product without contaminating or even as much Health alert is raised.
- Do not sell ?Guaro Gran Apache?, ?Red Star Brandy?, ?Guaro Montano?, ?Baron Red Brandy?, ?Timbuka Brandy? or ?Molotov Brandy? if it is not guaranteed to be the original product without contaminating or until it is lifted the alert
- Report immediately to the Ministry of Health to the mail denuncias.drpis@misalud.go.cr if you have presented any box of methanol poisoning with guaro or adulterated spirits of the names of the products indicated here or of others. The symptoms are: acute abdominal pain, acute headache and ataxia (lack of coordination of body movements).
- Report to the Ministry of Health, through the mail denuncias.drpis@misalud.go.cr those establishments or persons and companies that are suspected of being commercialized guaro or adulterated spirits.
Ministry of Health. Communication and Image. Tel: 2233-2854 E-mail: prensa@misalud.go.cr