FG, WHO confirm methanol as cause of Ondo mystery disease:

Federal Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, WHO, say contaminated alcohol consumption of  is believed to be responsible for the outbreak of the strange disease that has killed at least 18 people  in Ondo state. During a chat with newsmen today, the Minister of State for Health, Mr Fidelis Nwankwo said the disease is not in anyway related to Ebola virus disease as was earlier speculated.

"Preliminary laboratory investigations indicates that the outbreak cannot be attributed to any infectious organism, bacterial or viral. The outbreak is also clearly not due to Ebola virus disease as feared by many at first. Epidemiological findings indicate a strong linkage of the outbreak to a consumption of a local gin that had been contaminated with methanol, a poisonous material. At this stage the particular poisonous substance is being ascertained. The results of this very detailed investigation currently been conducted by the government and our partners are still been awaited and will be made public as soon as possible"he said.