It’s not yet clear whether the mysterious deaths of Americans vacationing over the past year are connected in the Dominican Republic. Some abruptly died as a result of a heart attack while others are connected to drinking from a minibar in their hotel rooms. The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism attributes these deaths to natural causes, and the FBI is conducting toxicology analyses according to NPR WORLD.
In an attempt to abolition illegal alcohol in 2017, Mexican regulators raided 31 hot spots in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. As part of a black market that came into the national spotlight after a Wisconsin woman’s alcohol-linked death at a posh Mexican resort. Regulators seized 10,000 gallons of tainted alcohol from a manufacturing company that supplied alcohol to some popular restaurants, nightclubs, and resorts.
According to an article written for the Centers for Disease Control, there are approximately 2,200 alcohol poisoning deaths per year. Surprisingly or at least to me the report documents that people between the ages of 35 and 64 suffer from alcohol poisoning more often than young adults. The article attributes this to changes in body chemistry as a result of age or the interaction of medication.
Alcohol is a social activity worldwide, and in Spain, people drink socially for pleasure and are less inclined to binge drink. In France be gentle with pouring -- never fill the glass more than half-way. Greeks consume a fair amount of wine, beer, and liquor, but public displays of drunkenness are a rare occurrence. The Caribbean nations rank high among high alcohol consumption, and the Dominican ranked five out of 10 for the Global Alcohol Consumption Countries.
Tainted alcohol is liquor that’s been tampered with drugs or a mixture of drugs.
The U.S. State Department says:
Drink in moderation
Never go out alone. Don’t go out to a bar, party, or club in another country by yourself.
Read reviews of hotels and resorts some areas or hotels in a foreign country may pose more safety risks than others.
Be wary of drinks with ice in them. If the drink itself isn’t contaminated, there is still a chance that the ice may be.
Drink water after every one or two drinks.
Do not drink on an empty stomach.
The deaths of our fellow Americans are tragic and I hope this blog has sprinkled a little knowledge that will encourage you to continue to travel to the Dominican Republic, Mexico and destination alike.
- across N abroad Travel offers our deepest condolences -
