Fake alcohol deaths highlight SE Asia’s methanol problem 14 hours ago Frances Mao BBC News Suspected methanol poisoning from tainted drinks has reportedly killed five tourists in a Laos holiday town in the past fortnight.
The deaths remain under police investigation, but reports suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol.
Methanol poisoning has long been a well-known issue across South East Asia, particularly in the poorer countries along the Mekong river.
What is methanol poisoning?
Asia has the highest prevalence of methanol poisoning worldwide, according to MSF’s database.
The methanol issue in Southeast Asia is brought to light by fake alcohol-related deaths.
fourteen hours ago.
Frances Mao.
the BBC News.
In the last two weeks, five tourists in a vacation town in Laos have reportedly died from suspected methanol poisoning caused by contaminated drinks.
Two Danes, a British woman, an Australian woman, a US man, and another Australian woman have all passed away, and one Australian woman is still in critical condition in the hospital. Police are still investigating the deaths, but reports indicate that they might have ingested drinks tainted with methanol, a lethal chemical frequently present in alcohol obtained illegally.
A well-known problem in South East Asia, especially in the less developed nations along the Mekong River, is methanol poisoning.
However, the backpacker party scene is still unaware of the warnings that foreign governments have posted about alcohol consumption in these areas.
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Methanol is flavorless and colorless, making it difficult to identify in beverages, and poisoning symptoms usually take time to manifest in victims.
And in nations like Laos, one of Asia’s poorest and least developed nations, the issue is that alcohol suppliers take advantage of a situation where there is little law enforcement and virtually no regulation in the food and hospitality sectors.
How does methanol poisoning occur?
Methanol is a toxic alcohol that is used in household and commercial products such as photocopier fluid, paint thinners, varnish, and antifreeze.
It smells like ethyl alcohol, the chemical present in alcoholic beverages, and is colorless.
However, methanol is harmful to people and can be fatal if consumed in small amounts (25 ml).
The onset of symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, which can progress to hyperventilation and breathing issues, may not occur for up to twenty-four hours.
International medical charity Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF), which keeps track of the number of outbreaks worldwide, says that fatality rates are frequently reported to be between 20 and 40 percent if left untreated, depending on the amount consumed and the concentration of methanol.
However, treatment can lessen some of the more severe effects if a poisoning is identified promptly, ideally within the first 30 hours.
In South East Asia, how widespread is the issue?
The database maintained by MSF indicates that the highest incidence of methanol poisoning globally occurs in Asia.
It primarily affects developing nations; outbreaks are frequent in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and Indonesia.
Due in large part to the widespread production and consumption of bootleg liquor, Indonesia is considered the hotspot and has reported the highest number of incidents in the last 20 years, according to MSF.
Stops on the backpacking route through South East Asia include towns like Vang Vieng in Laos, where the deadly poisonings occurred. With streets lined with eateries, bars, and hostels that serve tourists, the town’s economy is based on tourism.
However, standards for food and alcohol are not well regulated in Laos, and law enforcement is underfunded. Home-brewed alcohol is another industry that can result in unintentional poisonings.
According to local observers, manufacturers also use methanol rather than ethanol to create fake drinks because it is less expensive.
The BBC was informed by a Western diplomat in the area that “the dishonest producer is adding methanol to their drinks because it’s cheaper – it’s used to create a stronger-looking drink or make lower-quality alcohol drinks seem more potent.”.
They claimed that reports of methanol poisonings to consulates throughout the area were common.
It is challenging to estimate the extent of the contamination and the points in the supply chain where contaminated beverages are introduced due to a lack of data.
“That’s not good for them or their industry either,” the diplomat stated, adding that he did not believe it was dishonest bar owners deliberately poisoning tourists.
It’s more about the production side, where people are taking shortcuts, there is little regulation, and there is a lack of education. “,”.
How can it be addressed?
