LAGOS, Nigeria (Voice of Nigeria) – The Bayelsa State government has issued a warning about the risk of mercury poisoning after residents of Okpoama in the Brass Local Government Area butchered a dead whale for food.
Toyin Azebi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, issued the warning during a press briefing in Yenagoa.
The briefing followed a meeting of the Bayelsa Taskforce on Immunisation and Health Services, convened by Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, to address the ongoing cholera outbreak in the country.
This is the second time in recent years that a whale has washed up on Okpoama’s shores.
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Just like in 2019, residents used hacksaws, axes, and machetes to butcher the whale.
Azebi warned that consuming dead whales can cause botulism and bacterial infections, posing serious health risks.
She also highlighted the risk of mercury poisoning.
The state government has contested the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control’s (NCDC) inclusion of Bayelsa State in the list of states affected by the cholera epidemic.
Azebi stated that there have been no recent confirmed cholera cases in the state.
All 449 suspected cases from January to date tested negative for cholera in clinical laboratory tests, confirming them as cases of gastrointestinal diarrhea instead.
The NCDC has acknowledged the error and agreed to issue a correction after reviewing the state’s data.
Azebi emphasised that the situation is under control, with no confirmed cholera cases, and the state government is taking comprehensive steps to ensure public health and safety.