How 5 persons died of food poison, stomach flu in Kwara

The Kwara State Government says it has placed all the healthcare centres on outbreak response mode, having confirmed four deaths as a result of food poison and one other death from stomach flu otherwise known as gastroenteritis.

Amina El-Imam, Commissioner for Health, who states this at a Press Conference held in Ilorin, the State Capital, explained that the family of four from Eruda Community gave up the ghost after they consumed Lafun-Amala (food made from cassava).

She said the entire health team of Kwara State Ministry of Health had visited the community and console the family that lost their loved ones.

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

“Unfortunately, her son and grandkids also consumed the same food, fell ill and died. They were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, were they passed away,” she said.

El-Imam observed that the Amala made from Lafun might have been responsible for the death, adding that the people who consumed yam flour without Lafun were fine, just as he she noted that some of those who consumed the mixture of both Lafun (cassava) and Amala (yam flower) fell ill and eventually died.

The Commissioner submitted that several others were making good recovery in the hospitals where they were receiving treatment.

“Some are doing well and hopefully, following intensive medical treatment, they should be able to recover fully. It was observed that the residence was in a location where personal and environmental hygiene was not really optimal,” she said.