50 hospitalised in Ondo as govt probes sudden deaths

By Boye Oyeyemi

Health authorities in Ondo State have intensified investigations into mysterious deaths reported in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area, with about 50 people hospitalised in various health facilities so far.

The development followed reports that 24 residents died suddenly in communities including Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu, raising concerns about the cause of the fatalities.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka, said after inspecting health facilities in Araromi-Obu that the cause of the deaths had not been established. He added that preliminary findings had ruled out viral and bacterial infections.

Ajaka said investigators found that some victims might have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance or concoction before falling ill. He stressed, however, that the suspected substance had not been scientifically linked to the deaths.

The commissioner said samples of the suspected substance had been collected for laboratory analysis, while blood and urine samples were being taken from hospitalised patients to determine whether toxic substances or other abnormalities were present.

He added that post-mortem examinations would be conducted on some of the deceased as officials continued to gather information from affected communities and health facilities to establish what caused the deaths.

Meanwhile, the Ajobu of Araromi-Obu, Oba Aderemi Adelola, said the community had stopped the sale of concoctions and alcoholic drinks suspected to be harmful. He also appealed to the state government to upgrade the General Hospital, Araromi-Obu, with an ambulance, morgue, additional medical personnel and a blood bank.

The monarch said the community was already renovating the hospital’s staff quarters to improve healthcare delivery and pledged its cooperation with the investigation. Ajaka warned residents against consuming unregulated alcoholic mixtures and unidentified concoctions, saying the government would rely on laboratory tests, medical results and post-mortem findings to determine the actual cause of the deaths.