UK adds Nigeria to list of countries flagged for methanol-tainted drinks after global deaths spark concern.
The United Kingdom has expanded its methanol poisoning advisory to include Nigeria and several other countries, citing the rising threat of toxic alcoholic drinks.
According to a BBC report, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) widened its warning after several deaths linked to methanol-laced beverages, including six tourists who died in Laos last year.
Methanol, an industrial chemical found in antifreeze, becomes poisonous when ingested. “Only when it is ingested into the body does it become poisonous, such that formic acids and their anion formates become health risks,” Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stated.
Health experts warn that adulterated alcohol — often produced illicitly to cut costs — causes thousands of deaths annually, with fatality rates reaching up to 40 percent.
Travellers have been urged to buy only sealed drinks from licensed outlets and seek medical help if symptoms such as nausea, blurred vision, or confusion appear after consumption.