Six patients were hospitalised and one later died, due to suspected alcohol poisoning. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, under the Ministry of Health, on Wednesday requested relevant authorities to urgently investigate the case of six men from Ninh Thuận Province who were hospitalised in critical condition, including one fatality, suspected of being poisoned by alcohol.

According to the Department of Food Hygiene and Safety, the six tourists were admitted to Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City due to suspected methanol poisoning after consuming fruit wine labelled K.T, which was produced in Tiền Giang Province.

The department has directed HCM City’s Food Hygiene and Safety Department to coordinate with HCM City’s Department of Health to instruct the hospital to provide treatment and ensure the patients’ recovery.

Additionally, the department has requested an investigation into the patients' dietary history, the collection of test results, and the submission of these findings to the Tiền Giang Province’s Department of Health for further investigation.

The Ninh Thuận Provincial Department of Health has been ordered to examine food and beverage establishments linked to the affected patients in order to gather information. This department will also collaborate with the Tiền Giang Provincial Department of Health to determine the cause of the poisoning.

Authorities have been instructed to conduct thorough investigations and strictly handle any violations of food safety regulations if they are discovered. The results of these investigations will be publicly disclosed to warn the community.

The Tiền Giang Provincial Department of Health, HCM City’s Food Hygiene and Safety Department and Ninh Thuận Provincial Department of Health will work together to identify the exact cause of the food poisoning. Additionally, authorities in Tiền Giang Province will trace the origin of the suspected contaminated alcohol, halt its circulation, and strictly penalise any violations of food safety regulations if discovered.

The Department of Food Hygiene and Safety has also urged relevant units to intensify inspections, monitoring and supervision of food safety in alcohol production and business establishments, particularly in small-scale distilleries. The primary objective is to promptly prevent the distribution of unsafe, untraceable and unlabelled alcohol, which poses a significant health risk to consumers.

Furthermore, the department has emphasised the need to strengthen public awareness campaigns. It has called for guidance to help people become more conscious and responsible regarding food safety in alcohol production and sales.

The public is advised to avoid consuming excessive alcohol and prioritise safety when selecting and consuming alcoholic beverages. It is strictly recommended that people refrain from using unfamiliar animal or plant-based infusions of unknown origin and from consuming untraceable or unlabelled alcohol.

On March 30, Chợ Rẫy Hospital received six patients transferred from Cần Giuộc District General Hospital in Long An Province with suspected alcohol poisoning. The victims were identified as Đ.T.Đ., 28, T.H.T., 41, P.V.T.B., 50, B.V.Đ., 51, Đ.V.L., 51, and P.N.Q.K., 25. Among them, two individuals were in a coma and required intubation and mechanical ventilation.

The Head of the hospital’s Tropical Diseases Department, Dr Lê Quốc Hùng, stated that all victims had dangerously high methanol levels, exceeding 100 mg/dL. Doctors confirmed that all six patients had suffered from severe methanol poisoning. Fortunately, timely emergency treatment saved five of them.

However, victim P.N.Q.K., a resident of Tiền Giang Province, passed away on Tuesday. He had suffered many complications from the suspected methanol poisoning, including metabolic acidosis, multiple organ failure, diffuse brain edema, brain herniation and circulatory collapse and respiratory failure.

Hùng advised the public to choose alcohol with clear origins and ensure it meets food safety standards. He also warned that if symptoms such as fatigue, headache, blurred vision, dizziness or a sensation of seeing through a fog occur after consuming alcohol, methanol poisoning should be suspected. In such cases, individuals should seek immediate medical attention. — VNS