Methanol Mass Poisoning Outbreak, a Consequence of COVID-19 Pandemic and Misleading Messages on Social Media

Author: Kambiz Soltaninejad

The first cases of COVID-19 were two patients died of unexplained sever acute pneumonia in Qom city,Central Iran, identified on February 18, 2020.One month later, the virus spread around the country and as March 28, 2020, it left 35 408 documented cases of COVID-2019 with 2517 deaths (30 deaths/million population, mortality rate of 7.1%). So far, there is no proven effective treatment or vaccine for COVID-19.2 Preventive measures, such as social distancing and considering strict personal and public health measures are the only acceptable strategy to control the disease.SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces like metal, glass or plastic for up to 9 days. The virus, however, can efficiently be inactivated with 62% to 71% ethanol, 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, and 0.5% hydrogen peroxide.5 WHO recommends hand rub with water and soap or standard antiseptic formulations, especially ethanol-based products. In the early period of the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran, people demand for personal protective equipment, such as medical mask and gloves, and sanitation products, such as ethanol-based hand rubs and 70% ethanol solution, increased that led to the shortage of these products across the nation. The shortage of these products and propagation of fake misleading messages throughout the social networking services, social media, and the Internet on the protective effects of drinking or gargling of the alcoholic beverages for prophylaxis of COVID-19, in the meantime, caused an increase in consumption of alcoholic beverages among some ill-informed people in Iran.

تاریخ انتشار اولیه: ۱۳ تیر ۱۳۹۹
تاریخ رصد: ۱۰ شهریور ۱۳۹۹