[1] Symptoms may include an altered/decreased level of consciousness, poor or no coordination, vomiting, abdominal pain, and a specific smell on the breath.

[1] When the body breaks down methanol it results in the creation of metabolite byproducts such as formaldehyde, formic acid, and formate which cause much of the toxicity.

[1][2] Other conditions that can produce similar symptoms include infections, exposure to other toxic alcohols, serotonin syndrome, and diabetic ketoacidosis.

[5] The initial symptoms of methanol intoxication include central nervous system depression, headache, dizziness, nausea, lack of coordination, and confusion.

As little as 10 mL of pure methanol when drunk is metabolized into formic acid, which can cause permanent blindness by destruction of the optic nerve.

First, methanol (whether it enters the body by ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through the skin) can be fatal due to its CNS depressant properties in the same manner as ethanol poisoning.

[15][20] Additional treatment may include sodium bicarbonate for metabolic acidosis, and hemodialysis or hemodiafiltration to remove methanol and formate from the blood.

[23] In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration discovered that several brands of hand sanitizer manufactured in Mexico during the pandemic contained methanol, and urged the public to avoid using the affected products.

The tragedy, which also hospitalized several others, prompted Laotian authorities to detain eight hostel staff members and launch an investigation into the source of the contamination.

Governments, including Australia, updated travel advisories, warning citizens about the dangers of consuming local alcohol in Southeast Asia.

The incident significantly affected Laos's tourism-dependent economy, as travelers canceled trips and raised concerns over safety standards in the country.

Tourism, a critical sector for Laos, faced losses as international confidence waned, prompting calls for stricter regulations on alcohol production and improved enforcement to restore trust.