Bayelsa Government Warns against Consuming Dead Whales

The Bayelsa state government has cautioned that consuming dead Whales could lead to mercury poisoning.

Toyin Azebi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, issued this warning during a press briefing following a meeting of the Bayelsa Taskforce on Immunisation and Health Services in Yenagoa.

Residents of Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State reportedly slaughtered a dead whale for consumption, marking the second instance of such an incident.

The residents used hacksaws, axes, and machetes to butcher the whale, similar to what occurred in 2019.

Azebi emphasized that eating dead whales could also result in botulism and bacterial infections, posing significant health risks.

The state government refuted Bayelsa State’s inclusion in the list of states affected by the cholera epidemic outbreak, as reported by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control in its surveillance report.

Azebi clarified that there had been no confirmed cholera outbreak in the state recently, denouncing the NCDC’s declaration and urging people to disregard it.

Following communication with the NCDC, the ministry confirmed that the initial report was inaccurate, leading to an agreement to issue a rebuttal statement.

She said: “The NCDC report is a gross misrepresentation of the Bayelsa data, and we have tackled them on it. They have reviewed our data with us and will soon do another pronouncement excluding us as a state with a cholera outbreak.

“Since January 2024, there have been 449 suspected cases of cholera reported across the eight LGAs. Importantly, only two new suspected cases were reported in the most recent week, indicating no new cases. We can even report these cases of watery diarrhoea because of our optimized surveillance system across the state.

“Extensive testing has been conducted to confirm cholera cases. Out of 42 Rapid Diagnostic Tests carried out, only 14 returned positive. Crucially, all 14 positives from the Rapid Diagnostic tests turned out negative when subjected to culture test.

“Culture tests are the gold standard for cholera diagnosis, and no cases have been confirmed by this method. And this attests to no outbreak.

“In summary, the cholera situation in Bayelsa State is under control with no confirmed positive case. The state government is taking active and comprehensive steps to manage the situation effectively, ensuring public health and safety”.