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Corona Fall-out: Seven Died in Russia after Consuming Hand Sanitiser

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NEW DELHI, Nov 24:  This may not be counted in the list of total casualty in Coronavirus globally, but the death of seven friends in Russia was a direct fall-out of the pandemic. Sanitisers have become a diluted easily available commodity in bulk since the outbreak of the Corona pandemic.

A group of friends in Russia who ran out of alcohol decided to consume hand sanitiser instead. And seven of them died.

According to a media in Moscow, nine people consumed hand sanitiser from a five-litre container that they purchased from a local store in the Far East Russian republic of Sakha.

The sanitiser contained 69 per cent methanol, a non-drinking alcohol that is deadly to humans in doses of 30 grams or more.

“Methyl alcohol can cause acute poisoning with death by inhalation, ingestion; irritates the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, eyes. When ingested, the lethal dose of methanol for humans is 30 grams, but severe poisoning, accompanied by blindness, can be caused by 5-10 grams of the substance,” doctors said.

The media report said the group of friends had consumed the hand sanitiser during a dinner party. While three people died on the spot, the others were taken to hospital and were in intensive care. However, four people died later.

“Two people remain in a coma. The condition is unchanged,” a hospital spokesperson told the media.

Local authorities have launched a criminal investigation in the case and authorities have ordered stores to keep products containing methanol off store shelves.

The consumption of hand sanitiser instead of alcohol has also claimed lives in India. Ten people had died in Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh after allegedly consuming alcohol-based hand sanitiser in July.

(Manas Dasgupta)