The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a fresh travel warning to British nationals over the risks of methanol poisoning from counterfeit or tainted alcoholic drinks in Nigeria and seven other countries.
According to the updated travel advisory published this week, the affected countries include Nigeria, Ecuador, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Uganda, and Kenya.
The update follows a series of reported incidents involving British travellers who fell ill after consuming contaminated alcohol abroad.
The FCDO noted that the advisory previously covered destinations such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Costa Rica, and Fiji, following several high-profile cases, including the deaths of six tourists in Laos last year.
Travellers are being cautioned to remain vigilant and watch for symptoms of methanol poisoning, which include blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, and in severe cases, death.
Methanol, an industrial solvent commonly used in antifreeze and windscreen washer fluid, is not suitable for human consumption and is highly toxic.
Authorities warn that some unlicensed producers and vendors have been known to add methanol to alcoholic beverages to increase volume or potency, putting consumers at serious risk.
The Foreign Office has therefore urged Britons travelling abroad to buy only sealed drinks from reputable and licensed establishments, and to avoid homemade or pre-mixed alcohol, including cocktails served in buckets or jugs by street vendors.
The advisory stressed that prompt medical attention should be sought if symptoms of methanol poisoning occur after consuming alcohol, as early treatment can be life-saving.
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