The Kogi State government has said 62 people are now dead due to a strange disease in the state.

The State had disclosed the 50 people have been reported dead from the disease on Thursday.

[Read Also: Unknown disease kills 50 people in Kogi]

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Saka Haruna said the unknown disease has continued to claim the lives of some children and adults in Koloke, Okuna, Isanlu-Isa and Hausa-Fulani communities, all in the Yagba-West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

He said, “About 62 people have now been killed by this mysterious disease. When I visited the affected communities with my team, samples taken from some of the victims were sent to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Irua, Edo State, for definitive investigation, which turned out to be negative for Lassa fever.

“On arrival at the community, we interacted with the locals and samples were taken from their water sources and food supply. It was discovered that the people affected showed common symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting and stooling. Few of the patients, however, had Hematemesis and Hematochezia.

“Those found still manifesting the disease were transferred to the Kogi State Specialist Hospital for proper management where an empirical diagnosis of Food Poisoning to rule out Gastroenteritis was made. They are, however, responding well to the instituted line of treatment.”

Azeez