This month, six tourists died of suspected methanol poisoning after visiting the Lao tourist town of Vang Vieng.
The travelers – two from Australia, two from Denmark, one from the UK and one from the US – are believed to have consumed alcohol tainted with methanol, which is sometimes illegally added to regular or homemade alcohol to cut costs middle.
About 14 people fell ill after spending the night in Vang Vieng around November 12. local news coverage.
Methanol is cheaper than ethanol, the alcohol commonly found in beer, wine and spirits. Methanol is odorless and colorless, and drinking just 30 milliliters (less than the standard dose) can be fatal, while drinking just 10 milliliters (or two teaspoons) can cause blindness, according to the NGO Doctors Without Borders.
“Methanol poisoning is a global public health problem that receives too little attention.” Overview Published by this organization.
Since 2019, 943 incidents registered More than 39,000 people have been poisoned and about 12,900 have died.
The group said a lack of understanding of methanol poisoning among the public and the medical community, where it occurs frequently, is exacerbating the problem.
Places with the highest accident rate
According to Doctors Without Borders, most methanol poisonings occur in Asia.
one MSF website monitoring methanol poisoning Many foreign tourists are said to have become victims of methanol poisoning after consuming incorrectly distilled “arrack” in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands.
In September, several people in Indonesia were poisoned after drinking alcohol ordered online, according to the website. Reports said that in July, five students were poisoned after mixing tainted alcohol with energy drinks, and three of them later died.
The Facebook page is called “Just don’t drink hard liquor in Bali“People are advised to drink beer, cider, wine and duty-free alcohol purchased on arrival in Bali, but avoid cocktails and spirits.
Colin Ahaern, the page’s creator, said: “If someone has to pour a drink from a bottle of mixed spirits behind the bar, you could end up with methanol poisoning.”
“Be careful,” he said. “Bali is a beautiful place, but it has its pitfalls.”
Countries with the highest number of poisoned people
According to Médecins Sans Frontières, Iran has had the highest number of methanol poisonings in the past five years.
In April 2020, a month after Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, a large-scale incident in Iran resulted in more than 5,800 people being poisoned by methanol, killing around 800 people, according to Médecins Sans Frontières. The organization said many people mistakenly believe drinking alcohol can kill the coronavirus.
MSF warns travelers against drinking alcohol in informal settings and establishments without a license to sell alcohol. It also advises travelers to avoid drinking free alcohol or alcohol poured from unlabeled containers.
The organization added that many outbreaks and poisonings go undiagnosed because symptoms are similar to those common with food poisoning and hangovers, such as vomiting and lethargy. However, it notes that methanol poisoning can also cause dizziness, rapid heartbeat, and blurred vision and blindness.
