The Ondo State Government has confirmed that 29 people have died following a suspected poisoning incident linked to the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic substances in Odigbo Local Government Area.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, disclosed the latest figures on Friday night, saying authorities had recorded 60 suspected cases across affected communities.
Of those affected, three people are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, while another 27 remain under medical observation, according to the commissioner.
The deaths have been reported mainly in Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, Newtown, Odole, Okele and Oniparagacommunities. Radio Nigeria also reported that the state government is withholding the bodies of some victims for further medical examinations, with three bodies taken for autopsy.
The incident was initially reported with 24 deaths, before the figure rose to 27 and subsequently 29 as more casualties were recorded and authorities continued verifying the numbers.
Ajaka said 95 per cent of those affected were males aged between 16 and 55.
The symptoms reported among victims include headache, body pain, weakness, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness. Some patients were said to have deteriorated rapidly.
“The pattern of illness and reported history of exposure have raised strong epidemiological suspicion of exposure to a probable toxic alcoholic substance,” Ajaka said.
However, the commissioner stressed that the exact cause of the deaths has not been scientifically established.
“However, we are yet to have laboratory evidence of the cause of the deaths,” he said.
Authorities have collected 36 blood and urine samples for laboratory analysis, while samples of the suspected alcoholic substances have also been submitted for toxicological testing.
The investigation is being conducted with relevant regulatory and security agencies as authorities work to establish whether a toxic substance was responsible for the deaths.
The Ondo State Police Command had earlier cautioned residents against attributing the deaths to any particular substance before laboratory and medical investigations are completed. Police said they were working with the Ministry of Health and other health authorities to establish the actual number of casualties and precise cause of death.
As a precautionary measure, the state government has imposed a temporary ban on the production and sale of locally brewed alcoholic and alcoholic herbal beverages in the affected local government area.
Residents have been urged to avoid alcoholic products from unlicensed or unregulated sources and seek immediate medical attention if they develop blurred vision, breathing difficulties, sudden weakness, confusion or loss of consciousness after consuming alcohol.
The government has also appealed to residents and community leaders to report unusual illnesses and sudden deaths promptly to health authorities.
The latest confirmed figure of 29 deaths is supported by Radio Nigeria’s report on the commissioner’s Friday disclosure. However, other reports published around the same period have cited different figures, including 30 and 32, highlighting that casualty figures were still being collated.
For now, the cause of the deaths remains under investigation, and it would be premature to describe any particular alcoholic drink or substance as the confirmed cause until laboratory, toxicological and post-mortem findings are released.
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