Ondo Herbal Drink Tragedy: 48 Die, Five Blinded As NAFDAC Finds Methanol

Forty-eight people have died and five others have been totally blinded following the consumption of locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions linked to high concentrations of methanol in Ondo State, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has said.

NAFDAC, in an update issued on and signed by its director-general, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said two other affected persons suffered partial blindness following the mass illnesses and deaths recorded in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

The affected communities include New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga, with Odigbo Town and Araromi-Obu recording the highest number of cases.

“Disturbingly, five persons have been rendered totally blind and two partially blind,” the agency said.

NAFDAC said 90 affected persons were admitted and subsequently discharged, while 31 were treated as outpatients and six remained hospitalised.

It said the clinical symptoms recorded among affected persons included headache, generalised body weakness and pain, visual disturbances, difficulty in breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases deteriorating rapidly.

The agency said the incident had extended beyond Odigbo to Irele Local Government Area, adding that all figures remained subject to ongoing verification.

The development followed an earlier report that 29 people had died from the suspected herbal poisoning incident in Odigbo, with 60 suspected cases recorded at the time.

NAFDAC said 15 unlabelled samples of the suspected concoction were subjected to acute oral toxicity testing, chemical analysis through gas chromatography and microbiological examination.

It said preliminary findings showed that 11 of the 15 samples tested positive for Cannabis indica, while gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol.

“Preliminary findings are gravely concerning: 11 of the 15 samples tested positive for cannabis indica, and gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol – a highly toxic substance that causes blindness, organ failure, and death,” NAFDAC said.

The agency added that acute oral toxicity tests recorded approximately 50 per cent mortality in laboratory mice across six of the samples analysed, indicating significant toxic potential.

It said confirmatory analyses to quantify the methanol concentration and identify additional toxic agents were still ongoing.

NAFDAC also disclosed that 15 people had been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated beverages.

“Surveillance, case management, and risk-control measures are actively ongoing across the affected communities, in coordination with relevant public health authorities,” the agency said.

NAFDAC warned members of the public against purchasing or consuming unlicensed, unregistered and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal concoctions of unknown composition.

The agency urged anyone experiencing sudden visual disturbances, severe headache, difficulty in breathing or altered consciousness after consuming such substances to seek immediate medical attention.

Adeyeye commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives and assured the public that “every necessary regulatory action is being taken.”