Covid-19: US regulators issue warning over 'toxic' Mexico hand sanitisers

US regulators have warned that more than half of all alcohol-based hand sanitisers imported from Mexico contain dangerous levels of toxic ingredients.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was placing the products on a countrywide "import alert" until it was able to review their safety.

Some were advertised as containing ethanol but were found to contain methanol, or wood alcohol.

Methanol can be toxic if absorbed through the skin or fatal if ingested.

Another dangerous ingredient - 1-propanol - was also found in some products, the FDA said.