Four die after eating amala in Kwara

The Kwara State Government has confirmed the death of four persons in Eruda community in Olorun West Local Government Area after eating amala, a popular local delicacy.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, who made this known at a news conference yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital said another person also died of gastroenteritis.

Consequent upon the incident, El-Imam said the government had placed health care on Outbreak Response Mode.

She said the entire health team of the ministry had visited the community after a report of the family that lost some members after consuming of the yam flour.

“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,” she said.

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

She further stated that those who consumed yam flour without lafun were fine.

“However, those who consumed the mixture of both lafun and amala mixture fell ill and some of them eventually died,” she said.

The commissioner said the survivors were receiving treatment in the hospitals.

“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,” she said