The mayor of Sorocaba has declared a state of emergency due to methanol poisoning.
The city government has authorized the Health Surveillance agency to seize adulterated beverages; however, this measure cannot exceed the administrative sphere.
247 - The city of Sorocaba, in the interior of São Paulo state, has declared a state of emergency due to cases of poisoning from alcoholic beverages adulterated with methanol, according to information from Estadão.
The decree signed by Mayor Rodrigo Manga (Republicanos) authorizes agents from the Health Surveillance and the Municipal Civil Guard to enter establishments suspected of storing or selling adulterated beverages and to carry out seizures, with fines that can reach R$ 1 million.
Furthermore, the municipality will immediately acquire 200 bottles of antidote to supply emergency care units and treat cases of poisoning by the substance, used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes, but which can cause serious aftereffects and even death when ingested.
However, experts warn that if the city government's actions go beyond the administrative sphere and delve into criminal investigations, such as the production and sale of adulterated beverages, a court order will be necessary, in conjunction with the Civil or Federal Police, to collect evidence and conduct investigations. André Santos Pereira, president of the Association of Police Delegates of the State of São Paulo (Adpesp), reinforces this: “It is important to have a clear definition of what the city government will do in this situation, as public authorities need to act in an integrated manner.”
The Ministry of Health confirmed 113 suspected cases of methanol poisoning in the country as of this Friday, including 11 confirmed cases and 102 under investigation. São Paulo accounts for 101 notifications (11 confirmed and 90 under investigation), followed by Pernambuco, Bahia, the Federal District, Paraná, and Mato Grosso do Sul. To date, 12 deaths related to the poisoning have been recorded: one confirmed in São Paulo and 11 under investigation (8 in SP, 1 in PE, 1 in BA, and 1 in MS).
The Federal Police also opened an investigation into the sale of adulterated beverages, aiming to identify those responsible and prevent the circulation of harmful products.
