Strange Disease Hits Oyo Communities, 11 Dead, Five Hospitalised

*Govt: we’re awaiting sample results

Eleven people have died from ‘strange’ illness in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Four of the five persons said to have been hospitalised when the illness was first noticed four weeks ago have been discharged.

The Commissioner for Health, Caretaker Chairman of the council, Mr Kelani Abdullahi, Bashir Bello and lawmaker representing Lagelu Constituency in the House of Assembly, Akintunde Olajide, confirmed the outbreak of the ‘strange’ illness yesterday.

At least, 57 ‘strange’ deaths occurred in Enugu State and 30 in Delta State between late September and last week. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) however, attributed the causes of the deaths to yellow fever.

In June, the Federal Government said investigation suggested that between 50 to 60 per cent of the over 900 strange deaths in Kano State were triggered by or were due to COVID-19.

Although some residents of Lagelu LGA believe cholera was responsible for the deaths in Ariku and Lagun villages, the government said on Monday that the illness has not been established as results of samples taken from the victims have not arrived.

One of the residents of Ariku explained that five people have died in the village since the illness struck four weeks ago.

He said the illness later spread to Lagun where six persons also gave up the ghosts two weeks ago.

Caretaker Chairman Abdullahi explained that part of the immediate action of the government was to investigate the cause of the illness.

He said that they found out that lack of access to potable water by the residents of the affected villages was responsible

Abdullahi confirmed that four out of the five persons hospitalised persons been discharged.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bello, who said that surveillance and health officers sent to the council to take the samples reported the poor hygiene by the people.

He called for calm among the residents, assuring that the government was on top of the situation.