Grief and fear grips the communities of Ute-Okpu and Idumesa in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State as death toll from a strange disease has risen over 30 in the past two weeks.
Mrs Monica Emeke sadly lost two of her children, a boy and a girl in one day to the strange ailment.
She cried out to newsmen that the situation was getting out of hand.
Expressing her grief, she said that her son was 26 years of age and her daughter was 22 years adding that she said they had vomited blood before they passed on while others complained of fatigue, headache and feverish condition before their death either at home or at the hospital.
She also expressed fear over the increase in death rate, adding that five persons died in one day in Ute Okpu community while several deaths have been recorded in neighbouring villages including Ute Erunu.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his efforts to tackle the situation, directed the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Mordi Ononye and representatives of the World Health Organisation, WHO and other health experts to visit the affected communities.
Speaking at the Palace of the traditional ruler of Ute Okpu, HRM Obi Solomon Chukwuka I during the visit, Ononye said medical experts from his ministry had already collected samples from the communities for clinical tests.
He said: “Hemorrhagic fever possibly from substance abuse” was suspected, considering the age bracket of those that had died
