Methanol-Contaminated Drinks Tied to Deaths in Brazil and a Brain-Dead Tourist in Bali

Overview

• A 50-year-old Russian tourist in Bali has been declared brain-dead after falling ill following two glasses of red wine that doctors say caused methanol poisoning, and her family is raising funds to cover mounting medical bills.
• There is no public confirmation that the Bali beverage has been forensically tested, and toxicologists urged that any remaining bottle be sent to a lab because other toxins can cause similar symptoms.
• In Querência, Mato Grosso, Brazil, official forensic tests by Politec detected methanol in samples from a fatal case, and local health teams removed suspected whisky bottles and opened an inquiry to trace their origin.
• Brazilian health authorities have consolidated multiple confirmed cases this year and are investigating dozens more, with officials advising people to buy sealed, taxed products and to seek immediate care for nausea, vision changes or breathing problems after drinking alcohol.
• Methanol is an industrial alcohol that the liver converts into poisons that damage the brain, eyes and organs, so rapid medical treatment and testing of both patients and suspect bottles are critical to limit deaths, long-term disability and the financial strain on victims' families.