Medical staff at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi examine a patient in a critical condition owing to methanol poisoning (Photo: VNA/VNS) Hanoi (VNA) - An increasein the number of serious methanol poisoning cases reported in Hanoi in the pastseveral days has raised concerns among the city’s drinkers and healthauthorities.
An urgent meeting was held late on March7 by the National Inter-sector Steering Committee of Food Hygiene and Safety todiscuss measures to tackle the situation.
The Vietnam Food Administration anddistrict authorities together inspected 225 alcohol businesses, collected 25samples and ran tests on three after several cases of alcohol poisoning in Hanoicame to light, the city’s Health Department said.
The tests showed that the methanolcontent of two alcohol samples collected in the capital city are 900 to 2,000times higher than permissible level.
The sample taken from two bottles ofviolet glutinous rice wine at VT Eatery in Ha Dong district’s Mo Lao ward hasmethanol level of 202,475 mg per litre, which is 2,000 times higher than thepermissible level of 100 mg per litre.
The sample from a bottle of homemadealcohol at a house in Thanh Xuan district’s Khuong Dinh ward showed a methanollevel of 89,680 mg per litre, 900 times higher than what is permitted.
Officials conducted inspections inBa Dinh, Ha Dong, Thanh Xuan, Hoang Mai, Phu Xuyen and Thuong Tin districts.
Between February 22 and March 7, BachMai Hospital’s Poison Control Centre has treated 11 patients from 40 to 54years of age for alcohol poisoning, all residents of Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, HoangMai, Phuc Tho and Ba Dinh districts; one patient from Phuc Tho died.
All patients reported symptoms suchas extreme tiredness and headache, with some slipping into coma. Their bloodtests showed high blood methanol concentrations of 40 to 318 mg per decilitre.
Nguyen Hung Long, vice director ofVFA, said the administration would be requesting police cooperation toinvestigate alcohol businesses and take steps against those found violatingregulations on methanol content in alcohol.
The city’s health department said itis considering banning private eateries from selling alcohol of unclear origin.It also plans to conduct an awareness drive for alcohol business owners on thepossible consequences of consuming alcohol of unclear origin.
In February, seven people died ofalcohol poisoning in northern Lai Chau province’s Ta Chai village. The methanolcontent in the alcohol they consumed was found to be 4,750 to 5,560 times abovethe permissible limit.
Around 2,000 people suffered fromalcohol poisoning across the country between January 28 and 30, the first threedays of Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, the health ministry said.-VNA
An urgent meeting was held late on March7 by the National Inter-sector Steering Committee of Food Hygiene and Safety todiscuss measures to tackle the situation.
The Vietnam Food Administration anddistrict authorities together inspected 225 alcohol businesses, collected 25samples and ran tests on three after several cases of alcohol poisoning in Hanoicame to light, the city’s Health Department said.
The tests showed that the methanolcontent of two alcohol samples collected in the capital city are 900 to 2,000times higher than permissible level.
The sample taken from two bottles ofviolet glutinous rice wine at VT Eatery in Ha Dong district’s Mo Lao ward hasmethanol level of 202,475 mg per litre, which is 2,000 times higher than thepermissible level of 100 mg per litre.
The sample from a bottle of homemadealcohol at a house in Thanh Xuan district’s Khuong Dinh ward showed a methanollevel of 89,680 mg per litre, 900 times higher than what is permitted.
Officials conducted inspections inBa Dinh, Ha Dong, Thanh Xuan, Hoang Mai, Phu Xuyen and Thuong Tin districts.
Between February 22 and March 7, BachMai Hospital’s Poison Control Centre has treated 11 patients from 40 to 54years of age for alcohol poisoning, all residents of Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, HoangMai, Phuc Tho and Ba Dinh districts; one patient from Phuc Tho died.
All patients reported symptoms suchas extreme tiredness and headache, with some slipping into coma. Their bloodtests showed high blood methanol concentrations of 40 to 318 mg per decilitre.
Nguyen Hung Long, vice director ofVFA, said the administration would be requesting police cooperation toinvestigate alcohol businesses and take steps against those found violatingregulations on methanol content in alcohol.
The city’s health department said itis considering banning private eateries from selling alcohol of unclear origin.It also plans to conduct an awareness drive for alcohol business owners on thepossible consequences of consuming alcohol of unclear origin.
In February, seven people died ofalcohol poisoning in northern Lai Chau province’s Ta Chai village. The methanolcontent in the alcohol they consumed was found to be 4,750 to 5,560 times abovethe permissible limit.
Around 2,000 people suffered fromalcohol poisoning across the country between January 28 and 30, the first threedays of Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations, the health ministry said.-VNA
VNA
