In a tragic case of mass poisoning, six tourists have died in the Laotian city of Vang Vieng after consuming drinks that contained methanol.
The six tourists, who originated from Australia, the USA, the UK, and Denmark, are reported to have died after consuming tainted drinks at a backpacker in the city center.
The harrowing news comes as an all too tragic reminder to tourists that methanol poisoning in resorts, backpackers, and bars around Southeast Asia, including in Bali, is an all too common occurrence.
Every year, there are reports of hospitalizations and tourist deaths in Bali and the Gili Islands as a result of methanol poisoning.
The Laos Government has issued a statement following the deaths of the six tourists and has confirmed that the operators of Nana Backpackers have been detained for investigation.
The official statement from the Laos Government stated, “The government of the Lao PDR is profoundly saddened over the loss of lives of foreign tourists in Vang Vieng District, Vientiane Province, and expresses its sincere sympathy and deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.”
They add, “The government of the Lao PDR has been conducting investigations to find causes of the incident and to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with the law. The government of the Lao PDR reaffirms that it always attaches importance and pays attention to the safety of both domestic and foreign tourists.”
Those who have died in the mass poisoning incident include 19-year-old Australian backpacker Holly Bowles and her friend Bianca Jones, also 19 years of age. The two young women passed away in a hospital in Udon Thani, Thailand.
British lawyer Simone White, 28 years of age, also passed away, and two teenage Danish citizens and an American citizen, as yet named to the media, also lost their lives. A further eleven international citizens remain in hospital receiving treatment for methanol poisoning.
One of the most shocking and scary aspects of methanol poisoning is that it is almost imperceptible at first and as little as 30ml can be deadly. Methanol is often found in bootleg or home-brew spirits used in backpacker bars to keep costs down.
However, there have been multiple reports of methanol poisoning in Bali that have been traced back to 5-star establishments and up-market venues.
There is long-standing advice from locals, expats, and regular visitors to Bali not to drink spirits on the island.
To only consume spirits and hard liquor that has been purchased duty-free, and if choosing to drink alcohol, stick to bottled beers, ciders, and pre-mix spirit-mixers.
The Facebook Group ‘Just Don’t Drink Spirits In Bali’ has long been an advice forum for tourists in Bali to check in with advice about how to stay safe while drinking alcohol in Bali and what to do in the event of a suspected poisoning.
The founder of the forum, Australian Colin Ahern, has been advocating for greater awareness about the risks of methanol poisoning since 2018.
Updated advice from the UK Government regarding methanol poisoning in Indonesia states, “Methanol poisoning cases have resulted from drinks purchased in bars, shops, and hotels in tourist areas like Bali, Lombok, the Gili Islands, and Sumatra. Criminal gangs make counterfeit replicas of well-known alcohol brands, and these could contain high amounts of methanol.”
“Affected drinks have included local spirits, including arak/arrack (a local rice or palm liquor), spirit-based mixed drinks, such as cocktails, counterfeit brand-name bottled alcohol in shops or behind the bar.”
The UK Government advises, “To protect yourself from methanol poisoning, buy alcoholic beverages only from licensed liquor stores, buy drinks only at licensed bars and hotels, avoid home-made alcoholic drinks, check bottle seals are intact, check labels for poor print quality or incorrect spelling.”
Symptoms of methanol poisoning can take up to 24 hours to appear and include decreased levels of consciousness, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain, and breathlessness; in the event of suspected menthol poisoning, emergency medical treatment should be sought.
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