At least four individuals traveling in Laos, including an American citizen, have died recently, prompting officials in Australia and New Zealand to suggest a potential outbreak of methanol poisoning linked to contaminated alcoholic beverages.
Penny Wong, Australia’s foreign minister, announced on Thursday that Bianca Jones, a 19-year-old Australian, had passed away in Thailand after being transported there due to illness contracted in Laos. According to Col. Phattanawong Chanphon, superintendent of the police station in Muang Udon Thani, the cause of death was determined to be swelling of the brain caused by methanol.
It remains uncertain whether the three other deaths of foreign travelers reported this week in Laos were also due to methanol poisoning. The U.S. State Department confirmed in a statement that an American had died in Vang Vieng, a popular tourist destination in Laos, but did not provide further details.
Reports indicate that two Australian women fell ill in Vang Vieng after consuming shots of Lao vodka provided by a hostel where they were staying, according to a manager of that hostel.
Methanol, a toxic chemical often utilized in household and industrial products, can sometimes be illicitly added to beverages as a cheaper substitute for ethanol, the alcohol typically found in drinks. Australia's Foreign Ministry has issued advisories cautioning travelers about the potential risks associated with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails, in Laos.
New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday that its embassy in Bangkok had been contacted by a citizen who was ill and likely suffered from methanol poisoning while in Laos.
Earlier this week, Denmark’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the deaths of two Danish citizens in Laos, although the ministry did not clarify whether these deaths were linked to methanol poisoning.
Additionally, another Australian, Holly Bowles, who was with Ms. Jones at the time of drinking, is currently hospitalized in Thailand in a critical condition, as stated by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday.