Americans Warned Not To Drink Hand Sanitiser After Four People Die

Officials in the US are warning people not to drink hand sanitiser after four people died and others have been left with vision problems.

Fifteen people were admitted to hospital in Arizona and New Mexico earlier this year, according to a report from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The 13 men and two women were aged between 21 and 65, and had each drunk a hand sanitiser containing methanol, an ingredient the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls 'not acceptable'.

Four of the 15 people died, while three were left with visual impairments. Six had seizures while they were admitted, including three of the four who sadly died.

As of 8 July, four of the people mentioned in the report were still in hospital, and as yet there's no update on any potential long-term effects.

Sky News reports that one of the men began to experience 'sudden visual impairment' after drinking 'an unknown quantity of alcohol-based hand sanitiser during the few days before seeking medical care'.

Once admitted to hospital, he was found to have high methanol levels and had to undergo dialysis.

The man recovered after six but was left with 'near total vision loss', the report says.

The CDC said an investigation had been launched into people ingesting hand sanitiser following a FDA warning about some methanol-based hand sanitisers.

In Arizona and New Mexico there was a total of 62 calls to poisons centres regarding methanol poisoning related to hand sanitiser between 1 May and 30 June.

The report says visual disturbances, seizures, gastrointestinal complaints, changed mental state and shortness of breath were all given as reasons as to why people first sought medical attention.

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The FDA has so far identified 67 products which it is now recalling, and is urging members of the public to check their hand sanitiser does not contain methanol.

If it does, the FDA recommends disposing of it in hazardous waste containers and not flushing it or pouring it down the drain.

The report reads: "Severe methanol poisoning resulting in permanent disability or death can occur after swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitiser containing methanol."

The report warns people not to ingest alcohol-based hand sanitiser products.

Topics: US News

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19