No fewer than 170 people have been affected by the suspected toxic herbal concoction crisis in Ondo State, with the death toll rising to 49.
The latest development came as the crisis spread to Irele Local Government Area, where eight people were reportedly confirmed dead after consuming the substance.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, disclosed this on Wednesday, saying the government had deployed medical teams to Irele following reports of the deaths.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, Ajaka said Irele had become the area of major concern.
He said, “As we are now, Irele (LG) is where we have serious issue now, our people were there and many people have died. About eight people have been recorded to have died as at yesterday’s night.
“So all the people that have been affected altogether now is about 170, those that have been admitted and those that have died.”
Ajaka said the state government was responding promptly to reports of the crisis by deploying medical and health teams to affected communities to prevent further spread.
“We will always be fast about it wherever and whenever we heard the report of the issue, our teams are already in Irele as I’m talking to you now,” he said.
The commissioner also attributed the health crisis to the consumption of ethanol by the victims.
The crisis had earlier been reported in Araromi-Obu and Odigbo communities in Odigbo Local Government Area.
Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, Taiwo Adegoroye, had disclosed that 24 people initially died in the communities, comprising eight in Araromi-Obu and 16 in Odigbo. The figure later rose to 29 before the latest death toll of 49 was recorded.
