Continued Alcohol Poisoning in Iran; Hundreds of Patients, Dozens of Victims

With the spread of coronavirus in Iran, the number of people suffering from alcohol poisoning and those dying as a result is increasing. In recent days alone, more than 600 people in Khuzestan Province have been poisoned by consuming methanol alcohol.

Since the end of Bahman month when officials of the Islamic Republic formally confirmed the first cases of infection and deaths from the new coronavirus virus until now, the number of people who have been poisoned by consuming counterfeit beverages and industrial alcohol and have lost their lives has increased dramatically.

Hasan Hamati, public relations director of Fars Emergency Medical Services, told the Tasnim News Agency that in recent days until Sunday morning, the 25th of Esfand, 264 cases of alcohol poisoning have been identified in Fars Province, with nearly 200 cases occurring in the city of Shiraz.

These statistics relate to cases registered in medical centers affiliated with four medical universities in Fars Province, and it is not ruled out that the actual number of people affected by alcohol poisoning is much higher.

51 Deaths from Alcohol Poisoning in Khuzestan

In Fars Province, the number of people who have died in recent days due to consuming counterfeit beverages has reached 31 people. The situation in some other provinces such as Khuzestan is much more severe.

IRNA news agency reported on the 25th of Esfand, quoting Ali Ehsanpour, spokesperson for Jundi-Shapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz, that in the past 24 hours, eight people have been admitted to Khuzestan medical centers due to poisoning from consuming counterfeit alcoholic beverages, and two of them have died.

According to Ehsanpour, with the addition of two new cases, the number of recent victims of counterfeit alcohol in Khuzestan Province has reached 51 people.

The spokesperson for Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences says that “since this problem occurred” until Sunday, the 25th of Esfand, 620 people have been admitted to Khuzestan medical centers due to alcohol poisoning, and of these, currently 36 people are being treated in hospitals and 12 of them are being treated in intensive care units.

With the spread of rumors about alcohol’s effectiveness against coronavirus, cases of alcohol poisoning have also increased, and reports of deaths from consuming non-potable alcohol have been published in almost all provinces.

Laqman Hospital in Tehran reported on the 20th of Esfand the registration of five daily cases of poisoning resulting from non-potable alcohol consumption following the spread of coronavirus. It is estimated that in approximately three weeks since the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, more than 100 people have died from alcohol poisoning.

Connection Between Counterfeit Beverages and Coronavirus?

MohammadReza Heidari, acting deputy of food and drugs at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, regarding the connection between increased alcohol poisoning and coronavirus spread, told Tasnim: “Some people think that because coronavirus is sensitive to alcohol and is eliminated through disinfecting hands and surfaces with alcohol, the same thing happens inside the body when alcohol is consumed, and it actually acts as a disinfectant in the body, whereas this is a false, unscientific, and unhygienic belief.”

There are two types of alcohol: ethylic (ethanol) and methylic (methanol), the former has medical use and is used in some food, hygiene and cosmetic products and according to Heidari, “mostly has no toxic properties”.

Consuming methanol alcohol leads to poisoning and can have serious consequences for vision, up to permanent blindness. Poisoning from this alcohol can also damage the brain and cause patient death.

Health Recommendations for Obtaining Alcohol

The deputy of food and drugs at Shiraz University therefore recommends: “People should obtain alcohol from reputable sources such as pharmacies, and the alcohol should be of the ethylic type, because from an external appearance there is no difference between these two types of alcohol and it cannot be determined whether the alcohol is ethanol or methanol and it may inadvertently cause complications for people.”

The spread of coronavirus in Iran has increased consumption of ethanol alcohol and due to its scarcity, access to it for many citizens is not readily available.