The Foreign Office has issued an urgent warning to UK tourists after reports of ‘deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks’.
The government department issued a safety warning to travellers in Southeast Asia on Wednesday, November 20, urging those drinking alcohol in Laos to ‘take care’ and ‘protect yourself’.
It follows reports of methanol poisoning leaving people seriously ill. The ingredient has been used in the manufacture of counterfeit replicas of well-known alcoholic brands and illegal local spirits like vodka.
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Affected drinks may include local spirits including local rice or palm liquor, spirit-based mixed drinks like cocktails, and counterfeit brand-name bottled alcohol sold in shops or bars.
The Foreign Office said: “There have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol … You should take care if offered, particularly for free, or when buying spirit-based drinks. If labels, smell or taste seem wrong then do not drink.”
Travellers in Laos have been advised to take precautions to protect themselves from methanol poisoning. Measures include only buying alcohol from licensed liquor stores and licensed bars and hotels and avoiding drinking homemade booze.
Tourists should also check that bottle seals are intact when buying and check labels for poor print quality or incorrect spelling, which may indicate that they are knock-offs.
The Foreign Office added: “Methanol is tasteless and odourless. It can rapidly lead to serious illness. Long-term effects may include blindness and permanent damage to the Central Nervous System. Coma and death may occur following substantial exposure.”
Symptoms of methanol poisoning can be similar to alcohol poisoning and may include confusion, dizziness, drowsiness or fatigue, vomiting, changes in vision, including not being able to see, blurred vision or difficulty looking at bright lights, and abdominal or muscle pain.
Tourists who believe they might be suffering from methanol poisoning, or are travelling with someone who is showing signs, should seek urgent medical attention.
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