Following the mysterious deaths of about 22 people in Bonny Island, Bonny, and Woji in Obio Akpor local government areas, the Rivers state governments had banned the consumption of local gin popularly called ogogoro or kai-kai.
According to PM news, the Director of the Department of Disease Control in the state, Dr. Roland Obed Whyte said the ban was for the good of the locals who regularly take ogogoro.
The director said it would be difficult to get samples of the particular gin that was consumed through clinical analysis as youths Woji had burnt the shop of Friday Dickson, aka Etiaba in whose shop was consumed.
Whyte informed that officials of the Ministry have been sent to Woji to discuss the dangers of consuming the local gin. He also said the major symptoms shown by the deceased was vomiting and blindness.
Sources in the state ministry of health told to PM news that the victims deceased were buried without autopsy making further medical examinations a difficulty.
It was reported that the victims died after consuming dog meat delicacy and local gin popularly called ‘Kai-Kai’ or Ogogoro which allegedly contained poisonous ethanol.
The mysterious illness if Rivers is reminicent of the Ondo Irele disease which also affected victims who consumed locally produced gin. At least 30 people died during the one month reign of the disease.
Meanwhile, the Ondo state government has assured local residents that the strange disease has been completely eradicated from the community.
.