A budget getaway in Bali turned into a nightmare for a group of travelers after a 24-year-old Chinese woman was found dead and at least 10 fellow guests fell violently ill in a suspected mass poisoning.
The incident occurred at Clandestino Hostel in Canggu, where nearly 20 guests reported falling ill late on August 31 after having dinner at the hostel.
Among them was Deqing Zhuoga, who exhibited severe symptoms, including persistent vomiting, prompting the staff and security to transport her to a nearby clinic.
However, the young tourist reportedly declined further treatment due to the high medical cost and returned to the hostel around 1.30am after buying some medication.
The next morning, Deqing was discovered half-naked and unresponsive on her bed after failing to check out, with a trash can beside her filled with vomit.
The 24-year-old was pronounced dead on September 1, with the coroner estimating her time of death occurred between two and 12 hours earlier.
According to media reports, the incident drew a lot of local attention, especially since the hostel had undertaken a thorough pest control treatment for bed bugs three days prior. Notably, an autopsy suggested that Deqing's cause of death was likely to be acute gastroenteritis and hypovolemic shock.
While the exact contamination source remains unclear, medical professionals indicated that timely intervention might have prevented her death.
Leila Li, Deqing's roommate, was among those hospitalized and reportedly spent five days in intensive care before recovering.
Li recalled the horrific scene where guests "began collapsing as if struck by an invisible illness," with conditions worsening by the next morning.
"When I was rushed to the hospital, Deqing was too sick to move, continuously vomiting for hours," Li stated. She had requested an ambulance for Deqing and messaged her to join, but received no reply.
Despite hospital tests indicating combined pesticide poisoning and foodborne illness, initial police investigations found no trace of pesticide, cyanide, heavy metals, or any toxic substances in Deqing's system.
Compounding the tragedy, Deqing's parents, who do not speak English, were reportedly not contacted by the hostel, local police, or the Chinese Embassy regarding their daughter's death.
Resorting to social media to locate her last known location in the hostel, the family only received a reply from the hostel on September 6 -- four days after her death -- to reach out to the police or the embassy for assistance, with no further help offered.
Friends and survivors are demanding government action to close the hostel, warning, "If it remains open, more lives will be lost—one life has already been taken."
Despite the rising concerns, the hostel remains open while the local authorities stated the investigation is ongoing.
