Coronavirus Crisis: At Least 27 People in Ahvaz and Karaj Killed by Industrial Alcohol Consumption
The spokesperson for Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz reported an increase in deaths resulting from industrial alcohol consumption in the city. Reports indicate that the number of patients presenting with alcohol poisoning has surpassed those seeking treatment for coronavirus.
According to Dr. Ali Ehsanpour, spokesperson for Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, 218 people had presented to Ahvaz hospitals by Sunday evening (March 8) due to alcohol poisoning, of whom 20 have lost their lives so far.
Farhad Abolnezadian, head of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, also commented on this incident: “A number of Ahvaz residents, following rumors on social media about the effectiveness of consuming alcohol to prevent coronavirus, purchased non-consumable alcohol and then proceeded to consume it.”
According to IRNA, the head of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, stating that “one of the poisoning victims has lost their vision and eight others are currently hospitalized in intensive care units in Ahvaz hospitals,” stressed that “the death toll from alcohol consumption should not exceed coronavirus victims.”
Reports indicate that the number of patients presenting with alcohol poisoning in Ahvaz has exceeded the number of coronavirus-related presentations.
Simultaneously, the deputy general prosecutor of Karaj reported the deaths of seven people in the province due to alcohol poisoning.
Mohammad Aghayari, in an interview with ISNA, while confirming the poisoning of several residents due to industrial alcohol consumption, stated: “These individuals, deceived by social media content and believing they could combat or treat coronavirus, consumed methanol alcohol, and after being poisoned (7 people) lost their lives.”
“Consuming Alcohol Has No Effect Against Coronavirus”
Alcohol poisoning under the misconception of combating coronavirus is not limited to Ahvaz and Karaj. The Central Drug and Poison Information Headquarters, the Department of Surveillance and Monitoring of Health Product Consumption, and the Food and Drug Organization report similar cases in other cities. In a statement from this organization it states: “Unfortunately, based on observations and information obtained from some hospitals across the country, cases of poisoning resulting from oral consumption of solutions containing ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and even deaths resulting from oral consumption of methyl alcohol (methanol) due to misunderstanding and with the aim of preventing infection with the new coronavirus and COVID-19 have been reported in some patients.”
Shahin Shadnia, professor of clinical toxicology and poisoning at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, regarding this misconception that one can combat coronavirus with ethanol, told Mehr News Agency: “The consumption of any alcoholic substances orally has no effect in preventing coronavirus infection… Viruses are resistant to alcoholic compounds containing 70 degrees only on surfaces and hands, and oral consumption of alcohol not only has no effect in preventing coronavirus but can even lead to death.”
