Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has confirmed that the mysterious ailment in Ode-Irele Local Government Area of the State has been contained.
He said there were no new deaths recorded and that the state government was in control of the situation.
Mimiko made the confirmation while fielding questions from newsmen on Wednesday, in Abuja, after he received a letter of recognition of Ondo State University of Medical Sciences from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He disclosed that the cause of the deaths has been discovered and people were being sensitised on it.
He linked the strange disease that killed several persons in Ode-Irele community in the state to ethanol poison in some local brew.
Mimiko said the preliminary reports have indicated that the cause of the death was “neither infectious nor contagious that gives comfort that it is not an epidemic outbreak”.
He said: “What we suspect based on epidemiological finding yet to be confirmed by toxicological test was the fact that this is likely to be death caused by ethanol.
“We will confirm that when we get the result of the toxicological test based on the fact and information that we have.
“We have started sensitisation of our people especially those who indulge in local brew.
“There is perhaps most likely some local brew in circulation in the local government that is actually ethanol but in the next few days we will get the final report,” he said.
Before lab tests reports in Lagos confirmed the disease came from ethanol poisoning, members of the community had raised alarms that the disease is a punishment from the Gods.
The World Health Organisation, WHO has claimed that the disease must have been caused by pesticide poisoning.
A high priest in the town has come out to say the cause of the disease was the actions of youths who had committed sacrilege to Molokun, god of the land. He said youths entered the shrine and made away with traditional items in a bid to acquire extra-ordinary powers and engage in money ritual.
The disease had claimed at least the lives of 25 people. The outbreak of the disease was reported by the media on the 17th of April. The disease has so far been contained.
0 comments :
Post a Comment