11 dead, hundreds sickened by methanol-poisoned coconut wine in the Philippines

At least 11 people died and hundreds more were sickened by methanol-poisoned coconut wine in the Philippines, the state-run Philippine News Agency said.

Known as lambanog, the wine is a favorite drink during the holidays.

According to the Philippine government, the nation's Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly issued warnings to lambanog brewers over its high methanol content and advised the public to exercise extreme caution in purchasing and consuming the alcohol beverage and to buy only those registered by the agency.

“Lambanog poisoning is caused by residual methanol, which in high levels becomes highly toxic for humans," health secretary Francisco T. Duque III explained in a statement. "Methanol is a naturally occurring substance present during the distilling process, that should be separated and removed thereafter.”

The wine is a potent palm liquor distilled from coconut sap with an alcohol content of up to 40% to 45% by volume.

The poisonings occurred in the Laguna and Quezon provinces of Luzon, the country's main island, with people complaining of symptoms such as stomach ache, dizziness and vomiting after drinking the generic brand of the coconut wine, CNN said.

Some 265 people were hospitalized in the town of Rizal alone.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the palace was “alarmed” over the reported cases of suspected poisoning, especially during the holidays where alcohol is usually present in parties. He cautioned the public against purchasing alcohol not approved by the FDA.

Fred Rey, the owner of a local distillery who had a permit to operate, surrendered to police on Monday and could face multiple homicide and physical injuries charges, CNN Philippines reported.

The sale of lambanog has been temporarily banned in Laguna, and Rizal declared a state of emergency on Monday so the government could offer financial assistance to the victims, the news outlet reported.

It isn't the first instance of deaths due to coconut wine poisoning in the Philippines. Just last year, at least 20 people in the regions of southern Tagalog and central Luzon died after drinking lambanog.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philippines coconut wine poisonings: At least 11 dead, hundreds sickened