Twenty-four residents of Araromi Obu and Odigbo towns have been reported dead following the consumption of a herbal liquid substance in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state
Penpushing reports that a source in the area said the deceased consumed the substance on Saturday at different locations but later became unconscious, leading to their deaths, while some others who also consumed the substance were rushed to the hospital.
The source stated that the incident, which was said to have occurred on Saturday, has thrown the affected communities into mourning, adding that some of the victims died when they got home
“They (the deceased) drank the herbal substance and started dying, eight people died in Araromi Obu while 16 lost their lives in Odigbo town but we are yet to confirm if it is what they drank that killed them but we are sure that the people died after drinking the herbal drinks. Some of the people died in their sleep while some died when they got home and many are still in the hospital as I am talking to you’, a source added
Penpushing further reports that the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Taiwo Adegoroye, confirming the incident said the deceased consumed the substance before the incident, adding that they were waiting for a medical team to carry out autopsies to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
“We can confirm the death of 24 people, eight in Araromi Obu and 16 in Odigbo town and many are still on admission at hospitals. But we are yet to ascertain the cause of the death and we are still waiting for the team from the state Ministry of Health to carry out the test on the deceased. That is why we can’t specifically say the real cause’, Adegoroye stated
Penpushing also reports that the chairman said he had placed a ban on the sale and consumption of locally brewed alcoholic drinks in the area as a precautionary measure, explaining that a preliminary verbal autopsy conducted by the local government health team indicated a possible link between the reported deaths and the consumption of the substances.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, in the same vein on Wednesday confirmed the incident adding that investigations were underway to establish the actual cause of the deaths.
Penpushing reports that Ajaka did not immediately disclose the specific substance suspected to have caused the deaths, but said medical and health officials would conduct further assessments in the affected communities.
“The government is taking the matter seriously and we will provide more details after the ongoing investigation has established the circumstances surrounding the incident’, he emphasized
Penpushing further reports that some youths in the town, however, staged a mini protest and went to the palace of the Odigbo traditional ruler to demand explanations and urgent measures to prevent further loss of life.
The traditional ruler Oba Rufus Akinrinmade, addressing the youths appealed for calm and assured them that efforts would be made to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the deaths and find a lasting solution to the situation.
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