AKURE, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Ondo state Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has allayed fears over the reported strange disease in Irele Local Government Area, assuring that government efforts at containing the outbreak had yielded fruits as there was no new case in the last 48 hours.
Meanwhile, the federal government has sent a medical team to Ondo state to intervene in the case of deaths resulting from an unknown disease in Irele part of the state. Project Director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. Abdulrahman Nasidi said yesterday that government had already swung into action in order to put the unknown disease in check.
Mimiko in a state-wide broadcast Friday evening said government was taking all necessary and available actions to respond to the health crisis.
He said Cerebro Spinal fluid, blood and urine specimens had been taken for examination, adding that the specimens had been cultured and examined and the preliminary results showed no known viral infection.
“We have further ordered toxicology test. We have commenced active surveillance through the Local Government Area Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer. We await final laboratory results to be able to fully apprehend and finally surmount this challenge”, he said.
Condoling with families of victims of the strange disease, Mimiko said he was saddened by the losses and the attendant fear of what he opined, looked like an epidemic.
“We have witnessed in the last few days a major health challenge.
“A yet to be named ailment whose causative agents, diagnosis and cure are also yet to be determined, struck in locations in Irele Local Government Area of our State, killing 17 people and stoking panic and fear.
“I am, like you, saddened by these losses and the attendant fear of what looks like an epidemic.
“I can only bring words of consolation to the families of the deceased and words of comfort and assurances to the good people of our dear State. Amidst conflicting and confusing information, the investigating team of experts sent by government to the area gathered that all the casualties died within hours of affliction.
“In all, 17 deaths have been confirmed in Ayadi Community and Ode Irele township and all the deaths were preceded by symptoms of sudden blurred vision, headache and loss of consciousness”, he explained.
He said the symptoms observed in the two communities of Ayadi and Ode Irele bear no resemblance to those associated with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
“Our investigations thus far have been in conjunction with our development partner, the World Health Organisation, WHO, and report sent to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“As we speak, there are no new cases reported in the last 48 hours and none presently in the hospital. We have deployed trained volunteers for active surveillance and case management should the need arise.
“Also, advocacy and sensitisation efforts are ongoing in print and on electronic media”. the Governor mentioned.
According to Nasidi, “we are following the development, the federal government has sent a medical team to Ondo state and we are in touch with the officials of Ondo state.”
He explained that an inventory of the case has been recorded, with about 55 cases and 14 deaths.
Prof Nasidi also took time to state that contrary to speculations, the current case in Ondo is not a viral disease.
He stated that what the medical team and the Ondo state health officials are more concerned with at the moment is to ascertain the cause of the death.
Nasidi explained that the team were still working on the diagnosis and other scientific verification to arrive at a definite answer.
Credit: THISDAY (Nigeria)
