The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has issued an urgent warning against the consumption of unlicensed, unregistered and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal concoctions of unknown composition, following a deadly outbreak of severe illnesses in parts of Ondo State.
The Agency is urging anyone who develops sudden visual disturbances, severe headache, difficulty breathing or altered consciousness after consuming such substances to seek immediate medical attention.
The warning comes as the number of people affected by the outbreak has risen to 182, with 48 deaths confirmed, while five victims have reportedly been left totally blind and two others partially blind.
The outbreak was recorded in several communities in Odigbo Local Government Area, including New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu recording the highest impact.
NAFDAC in a statement signed by the Director-General/CEO Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the incident has also extended beyond Odigbo to Irele Local Government Area, with figures still subject to ongoing verification.
Of the 182 cases recorded as of September 17, NAFDAC said 90 people had been admitted and discharged, 31 treated as outpatients, while six remain hospitalised.
Affected persons have presented with symptoms including headache, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases deteriorating rapidly.
The public health alarm intensified after preliminary laboratory analysis detected high concentrations of methanol in samples of the suspected alcoholic concoctions.
NAFDAC said 15 unlabelled samples were subjected to acute oral toxicity testing, gas chromatography and microbiological examination.
The Agency said 11 of the 15 samples tested positive for cannabis indica, while gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol.
Methanol is highly toxic and can cause blindness, organ failure and death when consumed.
NAFDAC also said acute oral toxicity tests recorded approximately 50 per cent mortality in laboratory mice across six of the samples analysed, pointing to significant toxic potential.
The Agency stressed, however, that confirmatory tests are still being conducted to determine the exact concentration of methanol and identify any additional toxic substances in the beverages.
15 arrested as investigation continues
NAFDAC said 15 people have been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated beverages.
Surveillance, case management and risk-control measures are continuing across the affected communities in collaboration with relevant public health authorities.
The development has raised fresh concerns about the dangers of consuming alcoholic and herbal mixtures produced outside the regulatory system, where consumers may have little or no reliable information about the substances and alcohol content.
NAFDAC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, expressed condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and assured the public that regulatory and investigative actions are ongoing.
For residents and consumers, health authorities are urging caution: avoid unregistered alcoholic and herbal mixtures, do not consume products whose contents are unknown, and seek urgent medical care if warning symptoms develop after consumption.
As investigations continue, authorities are working to establish the full source and extent of the contamination and prevent further illness and deaths.