More than 700 people in Iran have died from taking toxic methanol to rid themselves of the novel coronavirus, the Associated Press reported.
More than 5,000 people had been poisoned from methanol alcohol with 525 deaths since February 20, Iranian health ministry spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpour said, according to the AP.
Over the past year, alcohol poisoning happened at a rate 10 times larger compared to the previous year, according to a government report released earlier in April. Between February 20 and April 7, 728 Iranians died from alcohol poisoning, the AP reported. By comparison, only 66 people died from alcohol poisoning in 2019.
The 700-plus figure is higher than the official number, and adviser to the ministry Hossein Hassanian told the AP that the figure takes into account 200 deaths from poisonings that happened outside of hospitals.
Methanol is a substance that is undetectable, and can't be smelled or tasted and the Iranian government has asked manufacturers to add artificial color to the product so people can differentiate it from ethanol which is used to treat wounds. Methanol can cause delayed organ and brain damage with symptoms like chest pain, nausea, hyperventilation, blindness, and even coma, the AP reported.
However, according to the AP, some bootleg makers of the toxic substance have also added: "a splash of bleach to mask the added color before selling it as drinkable."
Iranian health ministry spokesman, Kianoush Jahanpour said at least 90 people lost their eyesight or are suffering eye damage due to the alcohol poisoning, according to the AP.
Credit:- Business Insider
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