No fewer than 48 people have died while 182 others have fallen ill after consuming locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in parts of Ondo State, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has disclosed.

NAFDAC said preliminary laboratory tests detected high concentrations of methanol in samples of the suspected drinks, while investigations into the cause of the deaths and illnesses continue.

The agency said the affected communities are mainly in Odigbo Local Government Area, including Odigbo Town, Araromi-Obu, New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo and Oniparaga. Cases have also been reported in Irele Local Government Area.

In an update issued on Friday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the incident was first reported in early September after residents who allegedly consumed the concoctions began falling severely ill and dying.

The initial death toll was 31, comprising 20 people in Odigbo Town and 11 in Araromi-Obu. However, further investigations and surveillance increased the number of affected persons to 182, with 48 deaths recorded so far.

NAFDAC said 90 patients had been hospitalised and discharged, six remained in hospital, while 31 were treated as outpatients.

The agency also disclosed that five victims had become totally blind, while two others suffered partial blindness.

Symptoms reported among victims include headache, general weakness and body pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness. Some patients reportedly deteriorated rapidly after developing symptoms.

NAFDAC said 15 people had so far been arrested over the suspected production, sale and distribution of the locally prepared alcoholic and herbal beverages.

The agency said 15 unlabeled samples obtained from the suspected products had undergone toxicological, microbiological and chemical examinations.

According to NAFDAC, acute oral toxicity tests conducted on laboratory mice showed critical illness among the animals, with approximately 50 per cent mortality recorded in six of the 15 samples tested.

Chemical screening also detected Cannabis indica in 11 samples, while gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol.

NAFDAC said methanol is highly toxic and can cause severe poisoning, including blindness, organ failure and death.

The agency, however, stressed that the findings remain preliminary, with confirmatory tests still being conducted to establish the precise methanol concentration and identify other possible toxic agents.

NAFDAC said the combination of the animal-test mortality and confirmed methanol contamination strongly indicated that the samples posed a serious public health risk.

It said surveillance, medical case management, investigation and risk-control measures were ongoing.

The agency urged continued caution as the investigation progresses, noting that the reported figures could change as surveillance and verification continue.

NAFDAC expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.