Overview
- Ecuador, Kenya, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Uganda and Russia were added to the Foreign Office’s caution list for methanol risks.
- The expanded advice builds on existing guidance that already named Thailand, Laos and Vietnam as higher-risk destinations.
- Travellers are urged to drink only from sealed bottles, avoid unlabelled or unusually cheap alcohol, never leave drinks unattended and seek urgent medical help if exposure is suspected.
- Doctors warn symptoms can be delayed 12–24 hours and may resemble a severe hangover before progressing to blurred vision, breathing problems, coma or death.
- Reporting cites an estimated 821 global cases in September 2025 and a 20–40% fatality rate if untreated, with officials stressing awareness, rapid treatment and adequate travel insurance due to high emergency-care costs.