Ondo State Govt Blames Mystery Illness On Poisoned Local Brew

Ondo state government during the weekend said it suspects ethanol poisoning in a local brew was responsible for the death of over 20 persons in Irele area of the state last week. 

It dismissed insinuation that the alleged strange disease was contagious and put death tool at 18.

The Health Commissioner Dr Dayo Adeyanju, speaking in Akure said;

“findings from post-mortem carried out on the victims and other laboratory tests revealed that the disease was neither epidemic nor contagious.

“preliminary report shows that ethanol poison was found in the systems of all the victims.

“Our investigations have also revealed that the victims, who, interestingly, were all Okada riders, gathered at some local joints to consume alcoholic substance mixed with roots and some other local herbs on the eve of the outbreak of the disease.

“I can assure you that the disease is in no way contagious. The fact that none of the caregivers has contracted the disease has greatly underscored this point.?