No fewer than four family members have been confirmed dead at Eruda in Olorun West Local Government Area of Kwara State after eating Amala, a popular local delicacy.

Confirming the incident on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, said another person also died of gastroenteritis.

El-Imam, who spoke at a press conference in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said the state government has placed health care in the state on Outbreak Response Mode.

The commissioner stated that the entire health team of the ministry had also visited the community after a report of a family that lost some members after consuming the yam flour.

She said: “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 grandchildren also consumed the same food, fell ill and died.

“They were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital where they passed away.”

El-Imam stated that the Amala with ‘Lafun’ could have been responsible for the deaths.

She added that those who consumed yam flour without ‘Lafun’ were fine.

4 family members die after Amala meal in Kogi

“However, those who consumed the mixture of both Lafun and Amala mixture fell ill and some of them eventually died,” the commissioner said.

El-Imam noted that the survivors were receiving treatment in the hospitals where they were admitted.

El-Imam said: “Some are doing well and hopefully, following intensive medical treatment, they should be able to recover fully.

“It was observed that they are residing in a place where personal and environmental hygiene is not really optimal.”

The commissioner attributed the incident to food poisoning, occasioned by under-processed cassava used in the production of the meal.

She said an initial rapid diagnostic test was conducted on the suspected case of cholera, which later turned out to be gastroenteritis.

She added that one death was recorded at Osin Gada in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State from gastroenteritis.

El-Imam said: “The community had a few cases of stooling and vomiting, particularly among children.

“The vomiting and stooling drew the attention of the state’s disease reporting structure.

“On getting there, treatment was immediately commenced and all the affected patients have received standard treatments to stop the symptoms and restore their health.”

The commissioner said the state government would provide the community with potable water to prevent future re-occurrence.

The Star