Sixty-three people suffered methanol poising from impure alcoholic drinks since Saturday (9 August), Kuwait’s health ministry said. It resulted in 13 deaths and 21 cases of blindness or impaired vision.
All those affected were of Asian nationalities, said the ministry in its X post on 13 August. According to the reports, 51 required urgent kidney dialysis and 31 needed mechanical ventilation.
The Health Ministry has issued a warning that methanol, a highly toxic type of industrial alcohol commonly found in products such as chemicals and paint, should never be consumed. Small quantities of it can cause blindness or be fatal.
Although Kuwait prohibits both the import and local production of alcoholic beverages, illegal alcohol is still being produced in hidden locations within the country. The lack of regulation and safety oversight puts consumers at serious risk of poisoning.
The Embassy of India in Kuwait, which has the largest expatriate community in the country, reported that around 40 Indian nationals have been hospitalised in the last few days, without specifying the cause.
In a statement shared on X, the embassy noted that "There have been some fatalities, some are in a critical condition while others are recovering".
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