According to an article, 100 people were reported to have died after drinking tainted alcohol are under investigation. Based on the article, a man who drank contaminated alcohol experienced pains on his stomach and lost his vision. Additionally, the man had vomited too much. After a few hours, the man died. 

Shortage of Beer

Last week, an article reported that there has been a shortage of beer in Mexico when the country announced that beer production was a nonessential business activity. This means that amid the coronavirus pandemic, operations for beer production have been halted causing the shortage of beer in the country. Additionally, the article states that some municipalities in the country have banned the sale of alcoholic beverages until the end of the stay-at-home orders amid the pandemic. 

According to WHO, a reduction of alcohol supply in stores can help reduce the incidence of violence. This can help protect families from domestic violence as many people in the country are advised to stay at home for longer periods amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

The restrictions put on alcoholic beverages in the country may have caused the emergence of a black market for this type of beverage. The risk that this entails includes alcoholic beverages' contamination with methanol.

What is Methanol?

According to an article, methanol is not advisable for drinking. It is also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. It is also called wood alcohol because it can be made from fermented wood, based on an article. Normally, this helps make fuel and solvents. Additionally, methanol is one of the ingredients used in making paint thinners and glass cleaners.  

Additionally, the article reveals that it is poisonous to humans. However, some plants and animals naturally produce methanol which is part of their metabolic process. 

Methanol in Alcoholic Beverages

Based on an article, methanol can be traced in some alcoholic beverages such as beer. Additionally, it can be found in wine and whiskey, according to an article. 

Compared to ethanol, methanol is more toxic for humans because the body finds it difficult to digest methanol compared to ethanol. 

Methanol becomes poisonous for consumption when a dosage of 25 to 90 ml of it is consumed by a person. Like the case of the man who vomited, lost his eyesight, experienced abdominal pain, and eventually died, too much of Methanol can be fatal. 

This is one of the reasons why buying alcohol with no labels or from an unknown source could be dangerous. 

Check these out:

COVID-19 Cases in Mexico

Based on a coronavirus tracker, Mexico currently reports a total of 40,186 confirmed coronavirus infections. Additionally, 4,220 individuals had lost their battle with the illness while 26,990 people in the country were fortunate enough to declare victory against the deadly virus.