Multiple methanol poisoning deaths have been reported in the Barranquilla area of Colombia this week, thought to be caused by homemade alcohol known as ‘cochoco’
Eleven people have died and ten more are in a critical condition after drinking homemade alcohol in Colombia.
Concerns were first raised earlier this week when police in Barranquilla responded to an emergency involving a man unconscious on the street. Medics attended the scene, and it was confirmed that the victim was a 47-year-old who had died, Colombia One reported.
Agustin Guerrero, a toxicologist who is in charge of leading the medical response, told local media that of those taken to the hospital “one did not respond to resuscitation efforts and died upon admission”.
Guerrero said: “The patients were brought by law enforcement to the General Hospital of Barranquilla in very critical condition.
“The first one arrived practically without vital signs, and despite resuscitation efforts, he died. That alerted all of us attending physicians, because he had come from the Boliche area.”
More patients were later admitted and they required intubation, advanced resuscitation procedures and “immediate transfer to intensive care”, the expert said. He told the media that methanol poisoning could “have an immediate onset or appear hours after ingestion, which often makes early detection difficult”.
Homeless people in Barranquilla are known to drink “cochoco”, which is a cheap mix of ethyl alcohol, methanol and other substances. It is sold in plastic bottles for about 50 cents, the Daily Mail reported.
In late 2022, Colombia experienced a health emergency after 37 citizens died in Bogotá from methanol poisoning.
Methanol poisoning occurs when you accidentally drink methanol, which can sometimes end up in alcohol. Once ingested, methanol turns into formic acid which can cause vision problems, damage to your central nervous system, and death.
However, methanol is tasteless and odourless, which means it isn’t always easy to detect. Early signs include confusion, dizziness, tiredness or vomiting, while serious symptoms appear between 12 and 48 hours after drinking. These can include headaches, nausea, seizures, vision problems – and some people could even slip into a coma.
The British public became increasingly aware of methanol poisoning in November 202, when six people died at a bar in Laos. Among those who died were two Australian teenagers, a British lawyer, two Danish citizens, and an American.
The UK government’s Travel Aware campaign warns that methanol poisoning is “not unheard of” in tourist hotspots. It warns people to get help straight away if they suspect methanol poisoning by calling the emergency services or going straight to the nearest hospital.