Authorities in northwestern Kano state have confirmed the death of four persons after they had consumed a local juice drink.
Chairperson of the committee on infectious diseases outbreak in Kano, Bashir Lawal, disclosed this to reporters on Tuesday and noted that 189 others are receiving treatment for poisoning.
The National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had on Monday said the poison came from expired sachet water and a locally produced juice drink.
Mr Lawal said the incident came to notice on Thursday after hundreds of persons in the Kano metropolis were hospitalised with cases of frequent vomiting, joint dizziness and blood in urination.
He said two of the deaths were recorded at a health facility while the other two infected persons died at home.
“Health officials initially thought the disease was a Lassa fever outbreak. However, subsequent laboratory examination revealed a case of food poisoning, Mr Lawal, a medical doctor, said.
Meanwhile, the state ministry of health confirmed that the affected patients presented symptoms of haematuria which causes bloody urine or dark urine, fever, lethargy, and sometimes jaundice.
Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, the commissioner for health, said the infection has spread to 13 LGAs in the state, with the patients believed to have consumed expired citric acid powdered drink.
He said the state ministry of health’s taskforce seized some items that caused the outbreak of the infection.
The state’s coordinator for NAFDAC, Shaba Muhammad, told reporters on Monday in Kano that the samples were referred to its laboratory in Kaduna for analysis.
Mr Muhammad said the agency received a report of manifestation of a strange disease suspected to be caused by drinking sachet water and locally processed drinks in the metropolis.
“Reports indicated that the infection involves sachet water and local drinks suspected to be prepared with expired and adulterated products.
“We collected samples of the suspected water and the products for analysis to establish the cause of the disease,” the official had said.