Deadly incident: 23 fatalities due to alcohol overdose in Kuwait
Methanol poisoning from counterfeit or home-made alcoholic drinks has emerged as a significant public health issue in numerous countries, particularly in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. This was highlighted recently in Jordan, where a mass poisoning incident led to the referral of the case to a criminal court.
The Jordanian incident has resulted in the hospitalisation of many victims, who are currently receiving treatment, requiring assisted breathing and kidney dialysis. The Kuwaiti Health Ministry has urged the public to avoid consuming such drinks to preserve lives, following reports of 160 cases of methanol poisoning since Saturday in Kuwait.
The consumption of these methanol-tainted drinks is often linked to economic factors such as the lower cost of illicit alcohol compared to legal, taxed products, and sometimes to alcohol bans encouraging informal production. Since 2019, more than 40,000 people worldwide have suffered methanol poisoning from illicit alcohol, with about 14,200 deaths reported—a fatality rate between 20% and 40%.
Frequent outbreaks occur in countries including India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Kenya, Uganda, Iran, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Libya, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Turkey, and Malaysia, among others.
Methanol is metabolized into toxic compounds like formic acid, which damages the optic nerve leading to blindness, and affects the central nervous system, causing symptoms ranging from confusion, vomiting, breathing difficulties, to coma and death. Symptoms can appear 12-24 hours after ingestion and may initially mimic a severe hangover, with fatigue, headaches, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, breathlessness, and progressively worsening vision problems including blurred vision, color changes, dilated pupils, flashes of light, tunnel vision, and ultimately blindness.
Even a small amount of methanol (as little as one shot) can be fatal, and mortality rates can exceed 30% during outbreaks with limited treatment availability. The health consequences underscore the critical need for awareness, regulation, and urgent medical intervention when methanol poisoning is suspected.
In response to the recent incidents, India's embassy in Kuwait reported about 40 Indians have been hospitalized recently, with some fatalities. The embassy is following up with hospitals and the health ministry to ensure proper treatment for Indian patients. Similarly, nine people died in Jordan due to mass alcohol poisoning in June, with 41 needing medical treatment.
Methanol is an industrial substance not intended for human consumption and can find its way into home-made or counterfeit drinks. The reported cases have resulted in the death of 23 people in the past week, with most of the victims being from Asia.
The Kuwaiti Health Ministry continues to provide continuous medical and security follow-up around the clock, emphasizing the importance of public awareness and caution regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
- Methanol poisoning, a significant public health issue, has been reported in numerous countries, including Asia, such as Kuwait, where the Health Ministry has urged caution against consuming counterfeit or home-made alcoholic drinks.
- In Asia, the news of methanol poisoning cases has been prevalent, with over 160 instances reported in Kuwait alone since Saturday, resulting in hospitalization and potentially fatal consequences.
- Mental health therapies and treatments are crucial in managing the stress and anxiety caused by these public health crises, like the recent methanol poisoning incidents in Jordan, Kuwait, and other countries.
- Methanol poisoning has also been a problem in Jordan, where a mass poisoning incident led to numerous hospitalizations, requiring specialized treatments such as assisted breathing and kidney dialysis, and tragic fatalities.
- Digestive health concerns can arise from the consumption of alcohol, and the risk is heightened when it's methanol-tainted, as seen in countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, where frequent outbreaks have occurred.
- To address the health implications of methanol poisoning, countries like Jordan and Kuwait require urgent medical intervention, while embassies, such as India's in Kuwait, play a crucial role in ensuring proper treatment for affected citizens.
