The Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory on Monday following reports from Brazil suggesting that methanol, a toxic and potentially fatal substance, may have been detected in certain alcoholic beverages sold in the country.
According to the ministry, Brazilian authorities have launched an official investigation through the Health Ministry to determine whether recent cases of illness and death are linked to the consumption of contaminated alcohol.
The Foreign Ministry is urging Israelis currently in Brazil to exercise extreme caution when drinking alcohol.
For now, it recommends consuming only wine or beer, and only from sealed, original bottles. Vigilance, the statement stressed, could prevent life-threatening situations.
In case of emergency, Israelis can contact the Foreign Ministry’s Situation Room at +972-53-031-55, or reach the emergency hotlines of Israel’s missions in Brazil.
Tainted alcohol leaves 13 Asians dead, 21 blinded in Kuwait, health ministry says
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/Twitter 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.