The Ondo State Government has confirmed more deaths in connection with the consumption of suspected poisonous alcoholic drinks in Odigbo Local Government Area.
The Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, told journalists on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital, that 49 fatalities have now been reported, as against 39 reported last week.
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The government also said the cases increased from 60 to 170 as of last Friday.
Mr Ajaka said some incidents have been reported in the Irele Local Government Area, with eight fatalities recorded in the area.
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“As we are now, Irele (LGA) is where we have a serious issue now, our people were there, and many people have done. About eight people have been recorded to have died last night,” he said.
“So all the people that have been affected altogether number about 170, those that have been admitted and those that have died.”
The crisis started with 24 deaths. The figure rose to 29 a week later, prompting stringent measures by the government,nt including the banning of the production and sales of unauthorised alcoholic substances in the state.
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The figure rose to 29 after r additional five persons lost their lives as a result of the suspected poisoning.
Mr Ajaka said on Friday that several suspects have been taken into custody to assist ongoing investigations.
Communities earlier affected include New Town, Odole, Okele and Orita Odigbo in Odigbo Ward, and subsequently in Araromi Obu.
Suspected cases were also reported at Oniparaga, all in Odigbo LGA.
Mr Ajaka said that the main cause of the health crisis was the victims’ consumption of ethanol.
He, however, noted that the state government was being proactive in preventing further spread to other local government areas, as medical and health officers and other stakeholders immediately moved wherever they heard of the report.
ALSO READ: Ondo Tragedy: Police arrest suspect over poisonous drinks that allegedly killed 29 people
“We are always fast about it, wherever and whenever we hear the report of the issue, our teams are already in Ireland as I’m talking to you now,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Odigbo LGA, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirmed the deaths, saying the problem had been subdued as a result of the proactiveness of the state and local government area medical teams.
The Ondo State Police Command earlier paraded a suspect it arrested in connection with the production and distribution of the poisonous drinks.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Jimoh, said the suspect was assisting the police in their investigations. In contrast, 14 others were arrested for violating the local government’s ban on the sale of the herbal products.
“The Ondo State Police Command has contained the situation arising from reported cases of sudden and unnatural deaths involving youths in Araromi-Obu, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, following sustained security, medical and investigative interventions,” Mr Jimoh said.
”The development follows the arrest of one Oloruntoba Babatunde, a.k.a. ‘Meko,’ who is suspected to be involved in the production of substances suspected to contain methanol and is currently assisting the police with investigations.”
Despite the ban on locally produced drinks, many users have not stopped buying them from sellers who continue to offer them.
One of the users who spoke to this reporter on Wednesday claimed the drink is medicinal for curing back pains and other stomach issues.
He said not all the products are poisonous and was sure he was buying from the right source.
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