The death toll from suspected consumption of contaminated herbal drinks and alcoholic concoctions in parts of Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State has risen to 30, while 50 others are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.

The deaths were reported in Odigbo town, Newtown, Orita and Araromi-Obu communities, prompting authorities to suspend the sale and consumption of locally produced alcoholic drinks and other suspected concoctions in the affected areas.

However, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said the government had yet to establish the actual cause of the deaths.

He noted that preliminary investigations had ruled out viral and bacterial infections.

Ajaka, who spoke after visiting health facilities in Araromi-Obu, said some victims were suspected to have consumed alcohol mixed with an unidentified substance.

He stressed that laboratory analyses, including tests on samples of the suspected drinks as well as blood and urine samples from patients, were ongoing.

“We have not confirmed the source of death. Investigations are still ongoing,” the commissioner said, adding that post-mortem examinations would also be conducted on some of the deceased.

The chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiwo Adegoroye, said the council raised the alarm after noticing an unusual pattern of deaths and immediately deployed a medical team to the affected communities.

He ordered an immediate halt to the sale of locally produced alcoholic drinks and said some suspected sellers had been arrested.

The council also directed that the bodies of some victims should not be buried pending autopsy.

Three bodies had been deposited at the General Hospital, while the council had approached the court for a coroner’s inquest into the deaths.

The Ondo State Police Command said it had commenced investigation in collaboration with the state government and health authorities.

Its spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said medical and toxicological examinations were ongoing and urged residents to avoid spreading unverified information.

The state government has also warned residents against consuming unapproved herbal drinks, alcoholic mixtures and other unregulated substances.

Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, urged residents to obtain medicines and consumable products only from authorised outlets and seek professional medical advice rather than relying on unverified remedies.

Authorities said the casualty figures were still being verified and that a definitive figure would be released after the ongoing investigation and collation of information from affected communities and hospitals.