Urgent Foreign Office warning extended to eight new countries

Urgent Foreign Office warning extended to eight new countries View Image

Travellers heading abroad have been warned by the Foreign Office of an increase in cases of serious illness and death caused by alcoholic drinks contaminated with methanol. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has now included eight new countries in its list where British travellers could be at risk of methanol poisoning, including Mexico and Japan.

Methanol is a form of alcohol generally used in a wide variety of industrial products, such as paint thinners and antifreeze. The FCDO has highlighted, though, that it is sometimes mixed with spirit-based drinks and cocktails illegally at some overseas establishments to cut costs.

The chemical is also tasteless and odourless, making it effectively imp