A total of 23 people have now died from ethanol poisoning
blamed on locally brewed gin in southwest Nigeria, the local
health commissioner said on Monday.
“The total number of deaths is 23,” Ondo state health
commissioner Dayo Adeyanju told AFP by telephone. Last
Monday the death toll stood at 18.
Adeyanju said the five additional deaths were those taken to
hospital when all the victims fell ill in the town of Ode-Irele
earlier this month and that there were no new cases.
The mysterious symptoms and deaths raised fears of a
contagious disease but investigations ruled out illnesses such
as Ebola and other viral conditions.
Symptoms included headache, weight loss, blurred vision and
loss of consciousness. All the victims died within a day of
falling ill.
Adeyanju said the state government was investigating the
source of the batch of gin as well as trying to improve the
production of locally made alcohol to improve the safety of
consumers.