Strange Illness In Ondo State Nigeria Is Caused By The Consumption Of Contaminated Sapele Water (Gin) - FGN, WHO

The World Health Organization and the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Health in a tentative diagnosis said that the consumption of contaminated alcohol (aka Sapele Water) is thought to be the cause of the outbreak of the strange illness that has killed at least 18 people in Ondo state South West Nigeria. Minister of State for Health, Mr Fidelis Nwankwo dispelled rumours that the disease is virus related in a press briefing yesterday.. 

According to the minister; "Preliminary laboratory investigations indicates that the outbreak cannot be attributed to any infectious organism, bacterial or viral. The outbreak is also clearly not due to Ebola VIRUSdisease as feared by many at first.'' 

Continuing, he said that ''the epidemiological findings indicate a strong linkage of the outbreak to a consumption of a local gin that had been contaminated with methanol, a poisonous material.'' 

''At this stage the particular poisonous substance is being ascertained. The results of this very detailed investigation currently been conducted by the government and our partners are still been awaited and will be made public as soon as possible" he concluded.