A total of 48 persons are already confirmed dead in various communities in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo state – a significant increase in mortality after the case was earlier reported on first week of September.
InfoWars reported that 24 people died in their sleep in Ondo after drinking sachet alcoholic/herbal concoction.
More people have continued to die, others struck by strange ailments, and total or partial blindness. The severity of the matter has prompted immediate action as authorities scrambled to unravel the causes of the unfortunate incident.
NAFDAC has now come out with results of their laboratory test, but additional 24 persons have died. The update report signed by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, revealed that inside the alcoholic concoction is a high concentration of methanol – a dangerously toxic substance capable of causing blindness, organ failure, and death.
“Of the 182 reported cases, 90 persons were admitted and subsequently discharged, six remain hospitalised, while 31 were treated as outpatients,” the agency said, added that five persons have gone totally blind while two others suffer partial blindness.
NAFDAC said some of the symptoms include headache, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness. It’s report further showed that – from the sample collected – the level of toxicity was capable of causing death within 24 hours in most cases.
About 15 persons have been arrested in connection with the production, distribution and sales of the alcoholic concoction, the agency said.
The victims were from New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu, and Oniparaga, but its Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu which were hit the most.