In Holguín, two individuals have tragically lost their lives, and a third remains in critical condition after consuming food mistakenly prepared with industrial nitro salt, a preservative. The incident occurred in the household of the Ramón Quintana neighborhood.
The Provincial Health Directorate of Holguín verified the unfortunate event on Wednesday through a statement released on social media.
The health authorities reported that on Tuesday night, Yaneisi Peña Escobar, 37, cooked a meal shared with her mother, Clara Suárez Rodríguez, 63, and her stepfather, Manuel Fernández Fernández, 65. All three were urgently admitted to the Vladimir Ilich Lenin General Provincial Hospital.
Yaneisi was brought to the hospital in a coma, requiring mechanical ventilation due to severe sweating and convulsions.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the official statement revealed, "she is awake, conscious, cooperative, and no longer requires mechanical ventilation," although she remains in a critical condition under intensive care.
Unfortunately, her mother and stepfather did not survive. They were admitted to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit with severe neurological damage and gradual deterioration. Despite resuscitation efforts, they succumbed to severe pulmonary edema.
Authorities noted Yaneisi's employment as a domestic worker in a nearby home, which operated a sausage processing center. It is believed she obtained the nitro salt from this location, though how she acquired it remains unclear according to the statement.
Holguín's health system, alongside MININT joint forces, is investigating the incident to uncover all pertinent details. The Provincial Health Directorate expressed in their statement, "We deeply regret these preventable losses and extend our condolences to the grieving families and friends."
Nitro salt—either potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite, depending on the context—is an industrial preservative used in sausage production. In improper doses, it can cause methemoglobinemia, a condition that prevents blood from carrying oxygen, potentially leading to convulsions, cyanosis, pulmonary edema, and death.
The product closely resembles table salt, making accidental mix-ups more likely.
Understanding Industrial Salt Poisoning in Holguín
What caused the deaths in Holguín?
The deaths were caused by consuming food prepared with industrial nitro salt, which is an inappropriate preservative for home cooking and can lead to severe health issues.
How is nitro salt different from table salt?
Nitro salt, used industrially, contains potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite and is designed for preserving meats. It can be toxic if consumed inappropriately, unlike regular table salt.