• Eight deaths recorded in Irele LG

The Ondo State Government has confirmed more deaths in connection with the consumption of suspected poisonous alcoholic drinks in Odigbo Local Government Area.

The Commissioner for Health, Banji Ajaka, told journalists on Wednesday in Akure, the state capital, that 49 fatalities have now been reported, as against 39 reported last week.

The government also said the cases increased from 60 to 170 as of last Friday.

Mr Ajaka said some incidents have been reported in the Irele Local Government Area, with eight fatalities recorded in the area.

The Health Commissioner for Health, while giving an update on the situation, said that health authorities were intensifying surveillance, case management and contact tracing to contain the outbreak and identify the source of the poisonous substance.

He expressed concern that while eight of the deaths were recorded in Irele, the overall number of people affected across the areas by the incident has risen to 170.

He said the government was yet to relent in its efforts to establish the source of the substance, adding that investigators were examining whether the poisoning originated from a single source or multiple sources.

According to Ajaka, teams had been deployed to the affected communities to monitor the situation, manage cases and trace the source of the suspected poisonous substance.

He said the state government was also working with security and regulatory agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies.

Ajaka said the matter was discussed at a national meeting involving commissioners for health across the country and officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, where Ondo State’s rapid response in surveillance, case management and tracking was commended.

He said the government would continue its investigation until the source of the poisoning was established.

The latest figures came after the commissioner had earlier disclosed that 29 people had died in connection with the suspected poisoning in Odigbo Local Government Area, with 121 persons affected at that stage.

Ajaka had linked the Odigbo outbreak to locally produced alcoholic and alcoholic-herbal substances consumed during two naming ceremonies in the affected communities.

He said investigations showed that an individual who was not a member of one of the families hosting a naming ceremony procured the substance and brought it to the event for guests to consume.

The affected communities previously identified in Odigbo include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga.

Following the outbreak, the state government banned the production and sale of locally brewed alcoholic and alcoholic-herbal beverages in Odigbo Local Government Area as a precautionary measure.

The commissioner also confirmed the arrest of a suspect in Araromi-Obu in connection with the production and distribution of the substances.

Ajaka warned residents against consuming unregulated alcoholic and herbal preparations, stressing that substances promoted for medicinal purposes could also pose serious health risks if their contents were unknown or unregulated.

The Management of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu State, has appealed to the public, patients, and hospital visitors to remain calm following the recent management of a clinically suspected diphtheria case at its facility.

​The clarification became necessary following anxiety generated by the admission and subsequent death of a pediatric patient at the hospital’s Children’s Emergency Room (CHER).

​According to a public statement issued by the hospital management, the young patient received full medical intervention upon admission but regrettably passed away two days later despite intensive efforts by the attending medical team.

​However, a subsequent clinical post-mortem review indicated that the severe symptoms may have been caused by severe pharyngotonsillitis with massive exudate, rather than diphtheria as initially suspected.

​Despite the revised clinical assessment, hospital authorities confirmed that comprehensive contact tracing is currently underway as a precautionary measure to monitor anyone who had close contact with the deceased.
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To ensure absolute safety and prevent potential transmission, the hospital management has also completed a standard decontamination exercise of the Children’s Emergency Room in strict compliance with infection prevention and control protocols.

​Reassuring the public of the health institution’s capacity, the management emphasized that UNTH has previously managed and resolved sporadic cases of diphtheria successfully.
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The statement noted that the tertiary health facility possesses the requisite specialist expertise, isolation infrastructure, and medical equipment needed to handle infectious disease cases effectively.

​Addressing broader public health concerns regarding diphtheria across the country, the management advised members of the public to remain vigilant and watch for key symptoms, including persistent fever, severe sore throat, and difficulty in swallowing.

​The hospital urged individuals or parents who notice these symptoms in themselves or their wards to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest certified healthcare facility rather than resorting to self-medication.
​Furthermore, all healthcare workers, patients, and visitors within the hospital premises were advised to consistently observe standard safety measures, including hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, as they carry out their daily routines.

​Reaffirming its commitment, the UNTH leadership assured the public that it will continue to prioritize community safety, safeguard public health, and provide transparent updates based on verified medical data.

The Enugu State Government says there is no confirmed case of diphtheria in the state, urging residents to disapprove unfounded ongoing rumours.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof George Ugwu, made the clarification on Wednesday in Enugu while giving an update on the rumoured suspected case of a diphtheria patient at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu.

“In response to this, the Public health and Surveillance unit of the State Ministry of Health are already at alert and to ensure appropriate prevention control measure and early detection as may be necessary.

“A few days ago, there was a report of suspected case of diphtheria at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu which was followed by our team.

“However, the diagnosis of diphtheria could not be sustained or confirmed; while the patient, wito was rumoured and suspected to have diphtheria, had tonsillitis,” he said.

The commissioner noted that accordingly, contact traces and other appropriate measures are ongoing and “yet diphtheria are not diagnosed or confirmed in the state.”

He explained that the suspected patient had been traced to his home in Achara Layout in Enugu and he did not have any record of travel and had not being to the northern part of the country as rumoured.

“Our surveillance and tracing teams have also contacted his family members and others but no trace of diphtheria established,” he said.

Ugwu noted that although the state had remained on high alert against infectious diseases, “Enugu State is never at high risk of contacting diphtheria”.

“For the state, we have a robust routine and mop up vaccination especially on Penta 3, which provides effective immunisation against diphtheria for a whole life time.

“In 2026 Vaccination, we had 91 per cent record of coverage on Penta 3 vaccination, which is even above the national target or threshold,” he said.

The commissioner urged residents to remain calm and avoid spreading rumours or unverified information as well as seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms of any sickness.

He said, “The ministry is calling on parents and caregivers to ensure children are fully immunised with diphtheria containing vaccines (Penta 3).

“Residents are urged to follow the advice of health authorities during contact tracing and monitoring.

“Healthcare workers are urged to maintain appropriate standard precautions, promptly notify suspected cases through the surveillance system and ensure appropriate infection prevention and control measures.

“The Enugu State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with UNTH and relevant international partners, continues to monitor the situation and will be proactive for further information as necessary,” he added.

It would be recalled that there was an outbreak of diphtheria in Nigeria and 19,799 suspected cases sent to molecular laboratory test; with 15,309 confirmed cases and 517 confirmed deaths across 26 states and 357 Local Government Areas.

The worst affected states that accounted for over 98 per cent cases of diphtheria were Kano, Bauchi, Borno, Kastina, Sokato, Zamfara, Kaduna and Plateau according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Diphtheria is a serious but vaccine preventable bacterial disease that can spread though respiratory droplets and close contact.

Symptoms of Diphtheria include: fever, sore throat, difficulty or pain when swallowing, cough, difficulty breathing, swelling of the neck and greyish/white membrane in the throat.