Five tourists who were travelling in Laos have died from suspected methanol poisoning.
People drinking alcohol in a bar. On Thursday , it was reported that a 28-year-old British woman died after consuming drinks laced with methanol, a toxic alcohol. Earlier in the week, media reports said two Danish women and an American had also died.
Methanol is a colourless alcohol found in thousands of everyday products, such as paint, cosmetics and antifreeze.When methanol is ingested, it metabolises into formaldehyde and then formic acid, causing a person’s blood to become acidic. Besides consumption, poisoning can also happen when high concentrations of methanol vapour are inhaled or if it is absorbed through the skin, said the United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health .Methanol poisoning can lead to serious consequences, with the fatality rate ranging from 20 per cent to 40 per cent if untreated, according to the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders.
The medication fomepizole is also an antidote for the poisoning but the drug is expensive and unavailable in some parts of the world. "However, giving a sufficient amount of ethanol is difficult, and the blood alcohol level is often too low or too high," said Doctors Without Borders, adding that the preferred antidote is still fomepizole.Given that its symptoms resemble several other medical conditions, such as stroke and heart attack, a correct diagnosis is hard to obtain and the number of victims could be underreported, it said.
Currently, the lack of knowledge on the issue and a shortage of diagnostic equipment are the main obstacles to reducing the harmful effects of poisonings, it said.Since the outbreak of cases in Laos, Australia and New Zealand have updated their advisories for travellers visiting the country.
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