Ondo Residents Flee As Death Toll Rises From Strange Disease

Many residents of Ode Irele, the headquarters of Irele Local
Government area of Ondo State, are now fleeing the town following the
rise in the number deaths from the strange ailment that hit the state
on Wednesday Thisday reports.

The Ondo state government on Friday confirmed that 17 people had died
from the disease, an increase from the 12 that were originally
confirmed. Some sources said the death toll resulting from the disease
was as high as 30.

While the government said the cause of the ailment was not known,
other sources from the community blamed the death on some people that
defiled the shrine of the community deity known as Malokun.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko stated that the government had put necessary
machinery in motion to control the disease. He said samples collected
did not show that the victims died of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease
(EVD).

Mimiko, who said the state had witnessed a major health challenge
said the causative agents, diagnosis and cure are also yet to be
determined.

He also added that he was saddened by the losses and the attendant
fear of what looks like an epidemic, he said the government can only
bring words of consolation to the families of the deceased just as he
assured the people of the state of the government's resolve to find
solution.

Mimiko said 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.

"It must be said that the team was despatched to the communities
affected and the General Hospital as well as other health facilities,
to gather needed information about the nature, scope and circumstances
of the outbreak.

"I must state that the symptoms in this situation are not peculiar to
any known epidemic and so have remained largely confounding.

"Specifically, it must be stressed, the symptoms observed in the two
communities of Ayadi and Ode Irele bear no resemblance to those
associated with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)",he said.

A similar mysterious ailment also claimed the lives of 5 students of
Kanta Unity College, Argungu, Kebbi State.