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Five tourists have died in Laos from suspected methanol poisoning.
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The victims are an American, two Danes, a British and an Australian.
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The US State Department said it was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
In Vang Vieng, Laos, several tourists have died from drinking tainted alcohol.
According to various reports, an American, two Danes, a Briton and an Australian have died of suspected methanol poisoning.
A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed to Business Insider on Thursday that a US citizen had died in Vang Vieng and that the agency was monitoring the situation and providing consular assistance.
A British Foreign Office spokesperson told CNN: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos and we are in contact with local authorities.”
The Danish Foreign Ministry told CNN that two Danish nationals had died, but gave no further details.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old Australian tourist named Bianca Jones had died.
“This is every parent’s worst fear and a nightmare no one should have to experience,” Albanese said.
He also said he was praying for Jones’ girlfriend Holly Bowles, who is “fighting for her life” in a hospital in Thailand.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation wrote that local authorities in Laos were investigating the case and trying to determine where the contaminated alcohol came from.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ingesting methanol, a type of alcohol used in cleaning products, glues and paints, can lead to nausea, vomiting and heart and respiratory failure.
Vang Vieng, a small town in central Laos, is a popular backpacker destination. It is surrounded by mountains, caves and rivers.
Representatives from the British Foreign Office, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Danish Foreign Office and the Laos Embassy in Singapore did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, sent outside business hours.
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