Six tourists who visited the tourist city of Vang Vieng in Laos this month died from suspected methanol poisoning.
The travelers (two from Australia, two from Denmark, one from the UK and one from the US) were contaminated with methanol, which is sometimes illegally added to regular or homemade alcohol to reduce costs. It is believed that he ingested alcohol.
Local news reports said around 14 people felt unwell after a night out in Vang Vieng around November 12. One such traveler recently returned to New Zealand.
Methanol is cheaper than ethanol, an alcohol commonly found in beer, wine, and spirits. According to the non-governmental organization Médecins Sans Frontières, drinking 30 milliliters (less than a standard glass) of odorless, colorless methanol can be fatal, and as little as 10 milliliters (two teaspoons) can cause blindness. It is said that there is a possibility.
“Methanol poisoning is a global public health problem that receives little attention,” according to a fact sheet published by the group.
Since 2019, 943 incidents have been recorded in which more than 39,000 people were poisoned and around 12,900 died.
The group says a lack of knowledge about methanol poisoning, both in the medical community and the general public, where outbreaks occur frequently, is exacerbating the problem.
Where are the most incidents?
According to Médecins Sans Frontières, most incidents of methanol poisoning occur in Asia.
According to the Médecins Sans Frontières website, which monitors methanol poisoning, many foreign tourists have fallen victim to methanol poisoning after ingesting accidentally distilled arrack in Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands. That’s what it means.
In September, several people in Indonesia became poisoned with methanol after drinking alcohol ordered online, the website said. In July, five students were poisoned by mixing tainted alcohol with energy drinks, and three of them later died, the report said.
A Facebook page entitled “Don’t drink spirits in Bali” advises people to drink beer, cider, wine and duty-free alcohol purchased on arrival in Bali, but avoid cocktails and shots. .
“If someone has to pour drinks from a bottle of mixed spirits behind a bar, they can get methanol poisoning,” said the page’s creator Colin Ahern.
“Be careful,” he said. “Bali is a wonderful place, but it has its own traps.”
Countries with the most people poisoned
According to Médecins Sans Frontières, Iran leads the country in terms of the number of people poisoned with methanol over the past five years.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières, in April 2020 (the month after the new coronavirus infection was declared a pandemic), a mass incident occurred in Iran in which more than 5,800 people were poisoned with methanol and about 800 died. The group says many people mistakenly believe that drinking alcohol will kill the coronavirus.
Médecins Sans Frontières warns travelers against drinking alcohol in informal settings or places where the sale of alcohol is not permitted. It also advises travelers to avoid free alcohol or alcohol poured from unlabeled containers.
The group added that many outbreaks and poisonings go undiagnosed because symptoms mirror common symptoms of food poisoning and hangovers, such as vomiting and drowsiness. However, it has been stated that methanol poisoning can cause not only blurred vision and blindness, but also dizziness and increased heart rate.
