5 Die Of Food Poisoning, Gastroenteritis In Kwara

Four persons have died from food poisoning while another one died from gastroenteritis in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The four victims who were residents of Eruda Community in Ilorin died after eating cassava flour local delicacy popularly called Amala lafun.

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam confirmed the incidents on Tuesday evening.

Dr El-Imam said the government has placed the healthcare on “Outbreak Response Mode’ after confirmation of four deaths in Eruda community, as a result of food poisoning from ‘amala ‘ and one death from gastroenteritis.”

The Commissioner said a team from the ministry had visited the community after report of a family who lost a number of their relatives, after consumption of the local delicacy.

“On getting there, the claim was that there was an instance of food poisoning where the 70 year-old woman fell ill and died after consuming ‘amala’.

“Unfortunately, her son and grand kids also consumed the same food, fell ill and died. They were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, were they passed away,” El- Imam confirmed.

The Commissioner stated that the amala made from cassava flour, known as ‘lafun’ could have been responsible for the death.

She added that, “This is a case of chemical food poisoning, potentially due to under-processed cassava used in the production of ‘Lafun.”

“We have another four cases recovering at the moment, in addition, of course, to the four that we unfortunately lost.”

She disclosed that one death recorded at Osin Gada, Ilorin was due to gastroenteritis.

LEADERSHIP understands that gastroenteritis, which is also called stomach flu, is an intestinal infection with symptoms such as diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever.

Stomach flu is typically spread by contact with an infected person or through contaminated food or water.