Tainted alcohol leaves 13 Asians dead, 21 blinded in Kuwait, health ministry says

The ministry has said all those affected were of Asian nationalities

Kuwait’s health ministry said 63 people had suffered methanol poisoning from contaminated alcoholic drinks in the five days to Wednesday, resulting in 13 deaths and 21 cases of blindness or impaired vision.

The ministry said in a statement on X late on Wednesday that all those affected were of Asian nationalities, adding that 51 required urgent kidney dialysis and 31 needed mechanical ventilation.

Kuwait bans the import or domestic production of alcoholic beverages, but some is manufactured in the country illegally in secret locations that lack any oversight or safety standards, exposing consumers to the risk of poisoning.

The Embassy of India in Kuwait, which has the largest expatriate community in the country, said around 40 Indian nationals in Kuwait have been hospitalised in the last few days, without specifying the cause.

“There have been some fatalities, some are in a critical condition while others are recovering,” it added in a statement on X, noting that it is seeking further details.