Travel warnings were issued for eight countries due to the risk of methanol poisoning from fake alcohol, the United Kingdom Foreign office announced.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) created methanol poisoning warnings for Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Russia and Uganda where incidents have been recorded.
The Oct. 21 advisory “follows an increase in cases of serious illness and death caused by alcoholic drinks tainted with methanol in popular overseas travel destinations,” the FCDO said.
“The expanded list builds on existing guidance for countries including Thailand, Laos and Vietnam,” the agency noted.
Methanol is an industrial alcohol that can be found in antifreeze and paint thinners. In some countries overseas, the chemical is illegally mixed with spirit-based drinks and cocktails to cut costs, the advisory warns. Even small amounts of methanol can cause blindness or death within 12 to 48 hours of consumption.
Hamish Falconer, the British minister responsible for consular and crisis matters said in a statement that because the substance is tasteless and odorless it can be difficult for travelers to detect when drinking and early symptoms can mirror ordinary alcohol poisoning.
“That’s why we’re working hard to raise awareness of the warning signs and urging anyone who suspects methanol poisoning to seek immediate medical attention,” Falconer said.
Methanol poisoning includes nausea, vomiting, dizziness and confusion.
Dr. Sampson Davis, an emergency room physician told Fox News Digital that methanol “is toxic to the body and will lead to death if consumed in modest quantities without treatment.”
If poisoned, victims should go to the hospital immediately and seek treatment with fomepizole, an antidote used to treat poisoning from toxic alcohol, Davis told the media outlet.
“It has a very high mortality rate and will require hospitalization and [intensive care] monitoring if consumed in high volume,” he said.
The Foreign Office did not release details of specific incidents in any of the countries included on the warning list.
However in 2024, 28-year-old Simone White died after unknowingly drinking methanol in Laos, the BBC reported.
Campaigners and the families of some who have died or been injured from methane poisoning abroad met with travel industry and parliament members to spread awareness about the issue.
Including Calum MacDonald, 23, who fell victim to methanol poisoning in Laos and went blind.
“I think it’s important that people know, obviously, because it’s quite a simple bit of information you can get that can really save you a lot of pain,” he told the BBC. “I certainly think if I’d been aware of the risks I wouldn’t be here today without my vision.”
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