25 People Have Died From Tainted Alcohol in Costa Rica so Far This Summer

The Ministry of Health has shut down 10 alcohol-serving establishments and seized over 55,000 containers of alcohol that were laced with methanol, a poisonous chemical.

Methanol can be added to alcohol to increase the volume of liquid being served, as well as its potency. Doing so, however, can also prove lethal.

According to the Ministry of Health, affected brands include:

• Guaro Montano
• Guaro Gran Apache
• Aguardiente Estrella Roja
• Aguardiente Barón Rojo
• Aguardiente Timbuka
• Aguardiente Molotov
• Guaro Chonete
• Guaro Cuerazo
• Guaro Sacheto

Those affected by methanol poisoning will often experience symptoms of drowsiness, confusion, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, mania, coma, seizure, heart and respiratory failure, and difficulty coordinating muscle movement.