Residents of Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State recently butchered a dead whale for food, prompting a warning from the state government about potential health risks. Toyin Azebi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, cautioned that consuming dead whales could lead to mercury poisoning, botulism, and bacterial infections. This warning was issued after a meeting of the Bayelsa Taskforce on Immunisation and Health Services in Yenagoa.
The Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, convened the meeting to address an ongoing cholera outbreak in the country. According to his media aide, Doubara Atasi, this is the second time in recent years that a whale has washed ashore at Okpoama, with the residents similarly butchering a whale in 2019. Azebi's warning highlights the serious health dangers associated with consuming meat from these stranded whales.
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Meanwhile, the state government has disputed the inclusion of Bayelsa State on the list of areas affected by the cholera outbreak, as reported by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Azebi clarified that there had been no confirmed cholera cases in the state recently. She stated that all 449 suspected cases since January tested negative for cholera, instead proving to be gastrointestinal diarrhoea.
Azebi also mentioned that the state had reached out to the NCDC, which reviewed the data and acknowledged the error. The NCDC agreed to issue a correction. She emphasized that extensive testing, including culture tests, confirmed no cholera outbreak in Bayelsa. The state government remains vigilant, continuing its efforts to ensure public health and safety.
