The Sunday News
Lagos — A “mysterious” disease that kills patients within 24 hours has claimed at least 17 lives in a southeastern Nigerian town, the government said on Saturday.
Government spokesperson Kayode Akinmade said: “A total of 17 has died of the mysterious disease since it broke out early in Ode-Irele town early this week.”
The disease, whose symptoms include headache, weight loss, blurred vision and loss of consciousness, killed the victims within 24 hours of their falling ill, he said.
Laboratory tests have so far ruled out Ebola or any other virus, Akinmade added.
The World Health Organisation said it had information on 14 cases with at least 12 dead.
Akinmade said health officials and experts from the government and aid agencies, as well as WHO epidemiologists, have arrived in Ode-Irele.
“All samples have been sent to Lagos University Teaching Hospital and results are pending. Investigations are still ongoing,” he said. — AFP
