Brazilians avoid drinking after methanol poisoning cases, including 1 death

SAO PAULO -- SAO PAULO (AP) — Friday night was anything but typical at a bar near Paulista Avenue, one of Sao Paulo’s busiest areas and a popular destination for tourists. Nearly every table was ordering beer, wine or draft beer but no cocktails.

Edilson Trindade, the manager who has worked at the bar since 2018, told The Associated Press the establishment usually sells about 80 caipirinhas — Brazil’s national cocktail made with cachaça, lime, sugar and ice — each night. Last week, he didn’t sell a single one. No other cocktails were ordered, either.

“Clients have been worried, and we’re advising them it’s better not to drink cocktails,” Trindade said.

His concern reflects a nationwide unease over distilled beverages following a surge in methanol poisoning cases that has prompted police investigations, stoked public fear and altered drinking habits in recent days.

The Health Ministry said Friday it had confirmed 11 cases tied to alcoholic beverages and was investigating 102 suspected cases. One death was confirmed through lab tests in Sao Paulo, with eleven others under investigation.

Nearly all the cases have been reported in Sao Paulo, the country's most populous state and the epicenter of the outbreak.

Last week, local media reported deaths and hospitalizations linked to methanol-tainted alcohol. Some patients were admitted to intensive care with severe symptoms, including blindness.

One of them was the rapper Hungria, who has been hospitalized in Brasilia after possibly drinking altered alcohol. On Friday, he posted on his Instagram account that he was feeling better and would soon be discharged.

"Friday has a different energy. If you feel thirsty, find a safe place to have a drink," the singer said.

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha urged Brazilians to avoid drinking, especially distilled beverages, which are more difficult to verify for adulteration. He described the situation as abnormal and noted that Brazil recorded 20 methanol poisoning cases in August and September, equal to its annual average.

“As a physician and health minister, I advise everyone to avoid distilled products, especially colorless ones, unless you’re certain of their origin," Padilha said. "These are not essential items.”

Warnings from authorities and doctors caused panic among many Brazilians.

Some establishments told customers they would temporarily suspend sales of distilled spirits. Customers swapped cocktails, such as the traditional Brazilian caipirinha, for fermented drinks. Other bars have changed their menu and started offering cocktail mixes without distilled beverages.

Jessica Ávila, a 34-year-old cultural producer, was at the bar Trindade manages near Avenida Paulista Friday night, relaxing with friends but still feeling “very worried.”

“With all these cases that keep coming up and more deaths being reported each day, it’s alarming. I’ve even seen well-known people being hospitalized,” she said. “Right now, I can’t bring myself to drink any distilled spirits unless I have some assurance they’re not counterfeit. I’m sticking to beer.”

There are three main types of alcohol: ethanol, methanol, and isopropanol. Ethanol is safe for consumption and is found in spirits. Isopropanol is used in sanitizers and rubbing alcohol. Methanol, also known as wood alcohol, is used in fuel, antifreeze, and solvents.

Methanol poisoning can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, seizures, and even coma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC advises immediate medical attention if poisoning is suspected.

Authorities have been inspecting bars and distributors suspected of selling contaminated products. “We have determined that methanol contaminated counterfeit alcoholic beverages. So we need to understand how,” Artur Dian, chief of Sao Paulo police, told the AP.

Police still do not know whether the product contamination was intentional or accidental. Individuals who counterfeit spirits typically mix them with other substances to increase volume and profit, which may include methanol, he said. Another possibility is that the bottles were contaminated with the toxic substance.

"While we know that small amounts do not contaminate and are not capable of causing health damage, we don’t know the exact amount that might remain in a bottle, Dian said.

The Brazilian Association of Distilled Beverages said the illicit alcohol market is on the rise. A study by Euromonitor, commissioned by the association, found that adulterated beverages make up 28% of Brazil’s market and are sold at prices 35% lower than legitimate products.

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