Overview
- The FCDO added Ecuador, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Russia and Uganda to its advisory after a rise in serious cases and deaths.
- The update builds on existing guidance for destinations such as Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Turkey, Costa Rica and Fiji.
- Methanol may be illicitly mixed into spirits to cut costs and is hard to detect because it is colorless, odorless and early symptoms mimic ordinary intoxication.
- Symptoms often emerge 12–48 hours after drinking and can include nausea, confusion and distinctive vision problems that can progress to blindness or death.
- The FCDO urges travelers to use sealed drinks at licensed venues and to seek immediate hospital care for suspected exposure, with antidotes like fomepizole most effective within 10–30 hours.