Deadly mass methanol poisoning in Laos

Abstract

In November 2024, a suspected methanol poisoning event in Vang Vieng, Laos, made international headlines after two Australian women had fallen ill. The two women were last seen well on 12 November before being found by concerned hotel staff at the ‘Nana Backpacker Hostel’ when they did not leave their room the following day. On the same day, two Danish females were found unconscious in their rooms and were transported to a hospital in Vientiane, where they were declared deceased. By 21 November, both the Australian women and a British female were declared deceased. Then, an American man died after being found with bottles of empty and unopened spirits by his bedside. The mass poisoning event hospitalised at least 11 other people and prompted an investigation by the Lao authorities. Police identified a factory outside Vientiane where the suspected tainted alcohol was being produced and arrested the owner on 1 December. A further three staff from the hostel were also arrested on the same day in connection with the deadly poisoning. Subsequently, Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whiskey have been banned from sale across the country. Methanol poisoning events are not uncommon. Many deadly poisoning events have occurred across the globe in recent years.  In many countries where home production or artisanal small-scale production of alcoholic beverages is traditional, this distillation process can lead to dangerous bootleg alcohol being produced. Furthermore, counterfeit alcohol is often sold around the globe and bought unknowingly. There is no public early warning surveillance system capturing global methanol poisonings and alerting public health officials to investigate and implement public health measures. Given the widespread problem, it would be timely to consider establishing such a system.