A Sacramento woman who got skin cream from Mexico is now in the hospital, in a semi-comatose state, because the cream contained methylmercury.
Sacramento County Public Health officials say officials say the mercury was added to the Pond cream after it was purchased.
Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye says, “Sacramento County Public Health urges the community to immediately stop using similar skin creams imported from Mexico due to the risk of contamination with methylmercury." "Methylmercury is extremely dangerous to adults and children."
Similar creams are being tested for the mercury.
This is the first reported case of methylmercury poisoning of this type that was linked to a skin cream in the U.S..