Wetin we know about deaths of residents for Ondo State as authorities launch investigation

Di Ondo State Ministry of Health don launch investigation into di report of sudden and unexplained deaths for some parts of Odigbo local govment area of di state

Dis dey come afta di deaths of more dan 30 pipo, as odas dey hospital.

Dem report di deaths for several communities, including Odigbo town, Newtown and Orita, bifor similar reports show face from Araromi-Obu, wia some pipo kpai and some land for health facilities.

Di state ministry of health announce di informate on dia official Facebook page on Thursday, 10 September.

Di Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, say di govment neva establish di exact cause of di deaths, but say preliminary findings don rule out viral and bacterial infections.

E say di report wey di investigation team receive suggest say di victims fit don consume alcohol mixed wit unidentified substance or concoction bifor dem start to fall sick.

Ajaka say dem neva confam di substance scientifically as di cause of deaths.

"We neva confam di source of death," e say and add say investigation still dey go on.

E explain say health officials don collect samples of di substance wey dem suspect for laboratory analysis.

Ajaka add say dem dey collect blood and urine samples from patients wey currently dey receive treatment for hospitals to find out weda dem get toxic substances or oda signs wey fit explain di deaths.

According to am, dem go conduct post-mortem examinations on some of di dead pipo to establish di medical cause of death.

E explain say investigations dey ongoing for di affected communities and hospitals as part of efforts to establish di facts around di incident, saying di exact number of deaths still no clear for now.

E add say dem neva verify di figure.

“I no fit tok precisely,” Ajaka tok. E give dis informate wen tori pipo bin ask am about di number of deaths, as e explain say authorities still dey gada information from di affected communities and health facilities.

According to di commissioner, dem go only release di final figure afta govment don complete dia verification and collation exercise.

As investigation dey continue, e warn residents across di state against drinking of unregulated alcoholic mixtures and oda concoctions.

Di commissioner say govment don also order say anybodi wey dem find dey produce or distribute di substances wey dem suspect say dey harmful go face prosecution, say dem go hold anybodi wey involve for such activities responsible for potentially causing deaths.

Ajaka say govment dey rely on laboratory analysis of di samples wey dem collect, medical tests on patients wey survive and post-mortem examinations of pipo wey kpai to determine wetin cause di deaths.

E urge di public make dem wait for di outcome of di investigation bifor dem draw conclusions about di cause of di incident.

Ajaka tok say di preliminary assessment still dey go on, and add say dem go release report wey dem confam afta di relevant agencies don complete dia investigations and gada information from di affected areas.

Di chairman of Odigbo local govment area Taiwo Adegoroye, explain say authorities raise di alarm afta dem notice "unusual pattern of deaths".

E disclose say e contact di state Govnor Lucky Aiyedatiwa afta reports on continuous deaths, and dem send medical team to di area on Sunday, 6 September.

According to am, di team start work immediately, wit officials wey dey operate for di affected communities and tok wit residents dey part of effort to understand di circumstances around di incident.

As part of immediate measures to prevent more deaths, e explain say govment don stop di sale of locally produced alcohol for di affected area until investigation finish.

Di chairman say security agencies don get instruction to enforce di order and arrest pipo wey dem suspect say dey sell di product.

E reveal say hotels and oda places wia dem reportedly dey sell di drink don also receive warning to stop di sale.

Adegoroye say laboratory analysis, toxicological examination and autopsy findings dey expected to determine di actual cause of deaths and add say dem don carry three bodis go General Hospital for autopsy.

Di local govment chairman say dem instruct families of di pipo wey kpai make dem no bury di bodis until di relevant examinations don finish, say di council don also approach di court to seek coroner nquest into di deaths.

E say di local govment don release 2 million naira to support di immediate medical response. Adegoroye add say dem don also request additional financial assistance bicos di emergency no dey part of di council budget.

Meanwhile, di Ondo State Police Command don start investigation into di reported deaths for some parts of Odigbo local govment area of di state.

Di command, for statement wey tok-tok pesin Abayomi Jimoh, issue on Wednesday, say e dey work wit di state govment plus relevant health authorities to determine di actual cause of di reported deaths.

According to di statement, police personnel, including officers from Police Medical Services, dey work togeda wit officials of di state Ministry of Health and Odigbo local govment health authorities to collect relevant information and evidence.

E add say dem dey conduct medical and toxicological examinations to determine weda any substance dey responsible for di deaths.

Di police warn members of di public against spreading information wey dem neva verify or blame di deaths on any particular substance while investigation and laboratory analysis dey continue.

Di command say dem go establish di actual number of casualties and exact cause of di deaths afta di ongoing investigation.

Jimoh urge residents of di affected communities make dem remain calm and cooperate wit authorities by providing information wey fit help di investigation.