LAGOS, Nigeria: At least 49 people have died and 182 others have been hospitalised following a suspected alcohol poisoning outbreak in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, according to state health authorities.
The health emergency was first reported on September 5, when authorities said 29 people had died during the first week after consuming the suspected alcohol. By Friday, September 18, the death toll had risen to 49, according to Ondo State Health Commissioner Banji Ajaka.
Health authorities are investigating whether the deaths were linked to methanol poisoning from a locally produced alcoholic drink popularly known as “Monkey Tail”.
The suspected poisoning has affected communities in the Odigbo and Irele areas of Ondo State. Authorities said the incident was traced to two traditional ceremonies in the Odigbo district, where guests consumed locally produced alcohol.
Ajaka said the circumstances surrounding the illnesses had raised concerns about exposure to a toxic alcoholic substance, although laboratory tests had not yet confirmed the suspected source.
“The pattern of illness and reported history of exposure have raised strong epidemiological suspicion of exposure to a probable toxic alcoholic substance. However, we are yet to have laboratory evidence,” Ajaka said in a statement.
Those affected have reported a range of serious symptoms, including headaches, body pain, breathing difficulties, altered consciousness and blindness.
Ajaka described the progression of the illness as rapid.
“This thing happened rapidly. Once they consume, depending on the quantity, the kidneys will pack up, the eyes will go, the brain will be damaged,” he said.
Police have arrested a suspect as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Among those who survived the suspected poisoning is 32 year old Gbenga Oluwaseun, who said he became seriously ill during the night after consuming the drink.
“I just took off my shoe and lay down on the bed. So, when it was about 2 o’clock, I started feeling my chest beating fast. So, I called one or two people. I tried to open the door… I tried to lock my own door because I’ve locked it at the back already. So, I try to knock on the door so that people at home can assist me. So, that is what I know that I do. So even while bringing me, I was unconscious. So that is all I can say about the current incident.”
Residents told the Associated Press that the locally made herbal alcoholic drink known as “Monkey Tail” was suspected of being connected to the outbreak. Authorities, however, have not confirmed that the drink was the source and laboratory investigations are continuing.
Doctors treating patients at affected health facilities said many of those who became seriously ill were relatively young and had existing health conditions.
Anthony Fashua, medical director of Life Care Hospital, said some patients were between 30 and 40 years old and had other medical conditions that may have complicated their condition.
“Those people that are really affected are the young age, variable from 30 years to 40 years, and we discover that whenever they come around, when we investigate them, they have one or two co-morbidities. What I mean is that they have, like, some of them will have hepatitis B reactive in them. Some have some organ dysfunction before they invariably take this, I mean, this substance abuse, which is methanol poisoning.”
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