A 30-year-old woman, Bruna Araújo de Souza, has become the third fatality in a growing methanol poisoning outbreak in São Paulo, Brazil, authorities confirmed this week. She reportedly fell ill after drinking a vodka-based cocktail at a local bar and later died in hospital after being declared brain-dead. Two men — Marcos Antônio Jorge Júnior (46) and Ricardo Lopes Mira (54) — had previously died under similar circumstances. The Brazilian Health Ministry has reported 225 confirmed cases of methanol poisoning, mostly concentrated in São Paulo, prompting an extensive investigation into the source of the contaminated alcohol. So far, 11 establishments have been shut down, and over 10,000 bottles of suspicious beverages have been seized. Authorities have urged the public to avoid unlabelled or unsealed alcoholic drinks, as methanol — commonly found in cleaning agents and fuel — is highly toxic even in small amounts. Symptoms can mimic those of a hangover, making early detection difficult. Health Minister Alexandre Padilha described the situation as “unlike anything in our history,” calling it one of Brazil’s worst methanol-related incidents. Officials continue to probe whether the contamination was accidental or intentional, as fears grow over public safety and the possibility of wider distribution of tainted alcohol.