As of this afternoon, 32 children are under close monitoring and treatment after accidentally consuming rat poison, with some cases showing signs of brain and heart damage.

On January 24, Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi reported that its Pediatric Center and Poison Control Center are treating 32 pediatric patients, most of whom are students at Phu Binh Primary School in Tuyen Quang City, Tuyen Quang Province. The children consumed a red liquid resembling Chinese-made rat poison, identified as fluoroacetate.

Accidental ingestion and symptoms

The children reported drinking from small red vials, with seven of them consuming significant amounts - up to one-third or a full vial each. These children exhibited symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, and dizziness, indicating a high risk of severe poisoning. The remaining children consumed only 1 to 3 drops each.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the children underwent examinations and tests, including toxicology screenings, urine analysis, MRI scans for those with severe symptoms, and echocardiograms.

One child experienced seizures at the hospital, two showed signs of brain damage on MRI scans, and others exhibited heart dysfunction. Currently, all the children are conscious and receiving treatment according to established protocols. Doctors are working diligently to rule out other potential causes of poisoning.

The prognosis remains uncertain and will depend on the children’s condition over the coming days.

Confirmation of fluoroacetate poisoning

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital, confirmed that the test results indicated poisoning from fluoroacetate or fluoroacetamide, chemicals commonly found in imported rat poison.

The liquid is often packaged in small plastic or glass vials containing pink, colorless, or brown solutions, or in rice grain-shaped pellets dyed pink. These products lack labels or have foreign-language markings.

Fluoroacetate is highly toxic, affecting the nervous system and causing seizures, coma, severe brain and heart damage, myocarditis, acute heart failure, arrhythmias, and shock. Severe poisoning can lead to multi-organ failure and death.

This chemical was responsible for many rat poison fatalities in the 1990s and early 2000s, leading to its ban in Vietnam. However, it is still sold illegally, including online and through street vendors.

Ongoing efforts to prevent further cases

The Poison Control Center and Pediatric Center have coordinated with Phu Binh Primary School to identify and collect any remaining rat poison vials or other hazardous chemicals on school grounds and in the surrounding area.

The school has been instructed to locate any other children who may have consumed the liquid or other unknown substances and to advise them to seek immediate medical attention. Authorities have been alerted to investigate the source of the poison and ensure no further risks remain.

On January 21, several students from Phu Binh Primary School discovered a bag containing numerous red and blue vials while playing on a tea hill near their school. They took one vial back to school and shared it with their classmates.

Later, other students found a second bag filled with pink vials in bushes inside the school grounds and distributed the contents among themselves.

Phuong Thuy