A young Chinese tourist has died and ten others were rushed to hospital following a suspected mass poisoning incident at a budget party hostel in Bali, with shocking new details revealing the tragedy could have been prevented.
The Fatal Night
Deqing Zhuoga, a 25-year-old Chinese tourist, collapsed at Canggu's Clandestino Hostel after falling violently ill. The incident occurred just days after the dormitories had been fumigated to address a bedbug outbreak at the $9-a-night accommodation.
According to Balinese police, hostel staff initially took Ms Zhuoga to a doctor, but after expressing concerns about medical costs, she returned to her room where she later died alone. First Inspector Azarul Ahmad, Badung Police investigation chief, revealed that receptionist Maria Gores checked on Ms Zhuoga shortly before her midnight shift ended and became alarmed by her deteriorating condition.
"The doctor provided initial treatment but, due to lack of funds, only prescribed medication," Inspector Ahmad stated. "They bought the medicine from a nearby pharmacy and returned to the hostel."
A Preventable Death
Ms Zhuoga was back in her bunk by 1:30am, but it wasn't until the next morning that day receptionist Eka Ayu discovered she hadn't checked out. "She knocked on the door. After unlocking it, she found the victim lying face down," Inspector Ahmad explained. "The manager checked for a pulse but there was no breathing."
Police discovered vomit in a rubbish bin beside the bed and estimated Ms Zhuoga had been dead for between 2 and 12 hours. A post-mortem examination conducted by Dr Marcell later concluded that her death was likely preventable with proper medical treatment.
Tragically, Ms Zhuoga's friends and family had been posting on social media for days, desperately seeking information after losing contact with her. A missing person's post in a Bali Facebook group pleaded: "Her family is very worried and urgently asking for any information about her." Unknown to them, Ms Zhuoga had already been dead for at least a week when that post was made on September 9.
Multiple Victims Speak Out
Leila Li, Ms Zhuoga's roommate, survived after spending five days in intensive care - and only learned of her friend's death after being discharged from hospital. Ms Li is now demanding the immediate closure of the hostel pending a full investigation into the tragedy.
"They are trying to cover it up and I just want to warn people so this does not happen to anyone else," she told Daily Mail. "More than 20 people suffered collective poisoning, at least ten were in critical condition, and one person died. And even now people are still checking in and getting sick there."
Ms Li had checked into the hostel on August 31 and shared a communal dinner that night where she met Ms Zhuoga, who had arrived earlier. Hours later, chaos erupted as multiple guests began violently vomiting, collapsing in corridors and begging staff for medical assistance.
By morning, the sickness had swept through the accommodation with numerous guests admitted to medical centres and BIMC hospital. Ms Li recalled that by the time she was taken away by ambulance, Ms Zhuoga was too ill to move, lying in her bunk "vomiting for hours" while other guests scrambled for help.
Despite initial assumptions that victims had suffered from "Bali Belly" from the communal dinner, hospital tests revealed a more alarming truth. "My doctor confirmed it was pesticide poisoning and food poisoning," Ms Li revealed, adding that she had mentioned at dinner that an adjacent dorm had been closed for fumigation following a severe bedbug outbreak.
The official cause of death was recorded as acute gastroenteritis and hypovolemic shock, though the exact source of poisoning remains undetermined. Other victims named in the official Kuta Police report include German travellers Melanie Irene and Alisa Kokonozi, Saudi national Alahmadi Yousef Mohammed, Filipino guest Cana Clifford Jay and another Chinese tourist, Leslie Zhao.
Inspector Ahmad confirmed that due to the number of guests reporting identical symptoms, further investigation of the hostel would be conducted. However, Ms Li claims authorities have been too slow to act, potentially putting more lives at risk.
Victims have contacted Booking.com and Agoda requesting the hostel's removal from their platforms, but claim their pleas have been ignored despite providing hospital letters and substantial evidence. The Daily Mail has contacted the hostel for comment as this disturbing case continues to develop.
