Kuwait has reported that 23 people have died from consuming contaminated alcohol over the past week, with dozens more hospitalized in intensive care due to the effects of the tainted substance. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Police in Laos have detained eight staff members from a backpacker hostel following the deaths of six tourists, suspected to have been caused by methanol poisoning.

A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning, bringing to six the number of foreign tourists who have died after apparently drinking tainted alcohol in Laos.

Australian teen Bianca Jones has become the fourth tourist to have died in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.