Six relatives dead, five go blind after consuming illicit brew in Kirinyaga

According to Kerugoya County Health CeC George Karoki, among the deceased was a patient who had been referred to the Kerugoya County Referral Hospital but died upon arrival on Tuesday. 

"There was a case that was referred to Kerugoya County referral hospital, but it could not be managed, and we have reports that that patient died on arrival at the facility," Karoki told the media. 

According to Karoki, relatives of the deceased said that five other family members had died within their residences after consuming the liquor and that their bodies had been moved to a funeral home. 

He said they had yet to confirm the fatalities. 

"We have other reports that we got from relatives and family members that we are yet to confirm, they are saying they lost five other relatives who had consumed the illicit brew," Karoki added. 

"We are told that they died at their residences and were therefore taken straight to mortuary."

Several videos seen by Citizen.Digital showed at least four men of varying ages and an elderly woman seated outside a house, appearing dazed. 

The five are said to have been among a group that took 'California', a notorious, potent illicit liquor sold in the region. 

Videos showed area residents milling around the five people and attempting to confirm whether they had really gone blind. 

According to Karoki, the symptoms exhibited by the victims, which include blurred vision, are consistent with previous cases of ethanol consumption. 

"We suspect this illicit brew had ethanol because of the signs and symptoms that they exhibited; it showed that they had blurred vision and could not see well," Karoki told the media. 

"This type of chemical can cause liver cirrhosis and other nervous system problems, including that sign where they cannot see well."