Post by theshee on Apr 21, 2015 7:33:47 GMT 10
A "mysterious" disease has killed at least 18 people in the past several days in south-western Nigeria, local officials say.
The outbreak started in the Ode-Irele town, Ondo state, and spread rapidly.
The disease - characterised by blurred vision, headache and loss of consciousness - killed the victims within 24 hours of falling ill.
Local health officials and World Health Organization experts are now in the town to try to identify the disease.
Laboratory tests have so far ruled out Ebola or any other virus, Ondo government spokesman Kayode Akinmade was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
He described the illness as "mysterious".
WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told AFP that all of those affected started showing symptoms between 13-15 April.
The unidentified disease appears to be attacking the central nervous system, state health commissioner Dayo Adeyanju told Nigeria's Premium Times.link
UPDATE
Pesticide poisoning was the likely cause of the mysterious deaths of at least 18 people in a southwestern Nigerian town earlier this week, the World Health Organisation said Sunday.
The "current hypothesis is cause of the event is herbicides", WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said in a Tweet.
"Tests done so far are negative for viral and bacterial infection," he added.
The victims began showing symptoms early last week in what Ondo state spokesman Kayode Akinmade called a "mysterious disease", prompting fears of a new infectious disease outbreak in a region ravaged by Ebola.
The victims, whose symptoms included headache, weight loss, blurred vision and loss of consciousness, died within a day of falling ill in the town of Ode-Irele, in southwestern Ondo state.
The Ondo state health commissioner, Dayo Adeyanju, told AFP news agency on Saturday that 23 people had been affected.
Akinmade said health officials and experts from the government and aid agencies, as well as WHO epidemiologists, had arrived in Ode-Irele to investigate the deaths.
The tests were carried out at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the WHO said.link
The outbreak started in the Ode-Irele town, Ondo state, and spread rapidly.
The disease - characterised by blurred vision, headache and loss of consciousness - killed the victims within 24 hours of falling ill.
Local health officials and World Health Organization experts are now in the town to try to identify the disease.
Laboratory tests have so far ruled out Ebola or any other virus, Ondo government spokesman Kayode Akinmade was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
He described the illness as "mysterious".
WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl told AFP that all of those affected started showing symptoms between 13-15 April.
The unidentified disease appears to be attacking the central nervous system, state health commissioner Dayo Adeyanju told Nigeria's Premium Times.link
UPDATE
Pesticide poisoning was the likely cause of the mysterious deaths of at least 18 people in a southwestern Nigerian town earlier this week, the World Health Organisation said Sunday.
The "current hypothesis is cause of the event is herbicides", WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said in a Tweet.
"Tests done so far are negative for viral and bacterial infection," he added.
The victims began showing symptoms early last week in what Ondo state spokesman Kayode Akinmade called a "mysterious disease", prompting fears of a new infectious disease outbreak in a region ravaged by Ebola.
The victims, whose symptoms included headache, weight loss, blurred vision and loss of consciousness, died within a day of falling ill in the town of Ode-Irele, in southwestern Ondo state.
The Ondo state health commissioner, Dayo Adeyanju, told AFP news agency on Saturday that 23 people had been affected.
Akinmade said health officials and experts from the government and aid agencies, as well as WHO epidemiologists, had arrived in Ode-Irele to investigate the deaths.
The tests were carried out at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the WHO said.link