No fewer than 11 persons have been reported dead and five others currently hospitalized following the outbreak of a strange sickness in the Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State.

While some residents of the state claim it is an outbreak of cholera as the symptoms closely compare with the deadly disease, the state government has said the claim could not be immediately substantiated as results of samples taken from the victims were still being awaited.

Commenting on the development, the Caretaker Chairman, Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr Kelani Abdullahi, said the cause of the ‘strange’ disease was being investigated.

“So far, 11 persons have lost their lives to the epidemic, with five persons hospitalised while four persons have been discharged.”Abdullahi said

Also commenting, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Bashiru Bello, said,

“The tests carried out on the affected persons are still premature and the samples collected have not confirmed the sickness to be cholera.”

He said surveillance and health officers sent to the local government to take samples and assess the situation reported the poor unhygienic condition and the dirty environment in the area.