The Special Investigation Commission on Humidifier Disinfectants announces the results of a new study on deaths related to a 2011 health scandal at a press conference in Seoul on July 27, 2020.
A new study estimates some 14,000 people in South Korea have died from the deadly humidifier sanitizer scandal that broke out in 2011.
The study released Monday puts the number of adults who died after being diagnosed as patients of relevant diseases, such as asthma and interstitial lung illnesses, roughly 10 times higher than previously reported, based on data from the first study that looked into fatalities caused by the toxic disinfectants.
In comparison, only 1,553 people have officially been registered as victims of the health scandal involving Oxy Reckitt Benckiser.
The study also found that around 6.3 million people, ranging between 5.7 million and 6.8 million depending on factors, used the humidifier sanitizers between 1994 and 2011.
The fatal issue came to light after four pregnant women died of unknown lung problems in 2011.
Local authorities launched a probe into the case and concluded that polyhexamethylene guanidine, an anti-bacterial agent used in the humidifier cleaners that can be fatal when inhaled in the form of droplets, had caused the deaths.
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