10 new toxic alcohol poisoning cases reported - Health DG

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- A total of 10 new cases of toxic alcohol poisoning have been reported at Health Ministry facilities – seven in Selangor one each in Kuala Lumpur, Perak and Negeri Sembilan as at noon today.

Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said this brought the total number of toxic alcohol poisoning cases reported to 86 namely 62 cases in Selangor; Kuala Lumpur (16);  Perak (seven) and Negeri Sembilan (one).

“The total number of deaths due to toxic alcohol poisoning remained at 29 of which 18 were in Selangor, nine in Kuala Lumpur and two in Perak,” he said in a statement here today.

He said some 41 victims were still receiving treatment at 11 hospitals in the states with 16 of them were in critical condition.

Dr Noor Hisham added that there were 57 recorded cases of non-fatal toxic alcohol poisoning which involved nationals of Nepal (25), Myanmar (11), Bangladesh (nine), Malaysia (nine), India (two) and Indonesia (one).

He said so far, 402 premises selling liquor had been inspected in which 1,471 bottles of alcoholic drinks of various brands, including those that did not comply with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 were seized.

“Section 13 of the Food Act 1983 states that any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health, commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding RM100,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.

“Those with symptoms of methanol poisoning such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, headache, or loss of vision within five days of consuming alcoholic beverages, should seek immediate treatment at a clinic or hospital,” he said.

-- BERNAMA