Alcohol-based sanitizers can help reduce the coronavirus of distribution, but drinking the products turned out to be fatal to four people in two states. Health officials reported this week that 15 adults in Arizona and New Mexico were poisoned in May and June after drinking sanitizer.
In addition to the four who died, three had persistent vision problems, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All had consumed sanitizers that contained methanol, as wood alcohol.
The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumer. But some companies have replaced it with poisoned methanol, which is used in antifreeze.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning in June about Mexican-made hand sanitizer gel saying it contained large quantities of methanol. Since then, the FDA has expanded the list. The FDA has identified dozens of hand sanitizers that contain methanol and have been recalled in the US by manufacturers and distributors.
Last month, the FDA expands to 87 the number of store-based sanitizers that consumers should avoid because they contain a potentially toxic chemical. Some of the sanitizers identified by the FDA are potentially dangerous to be sold nationwide at retailers including Walmart and Target.
The demand for hand sanitizer is spiked because of the coronavirus pandemic, as public health officials often encourage hand washing. The CDC recommends that consumers use an alcohol-based sanitizer containing at least 60% ethanol when soap and water are not available.
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