Seven persons have reportedly died and eight others in critical condition over a yet to be confirmed illness at the New Artisan Market, Enugu.
Chairman of the Livestock Market, Alhaji Danladi Abubakar, made this known to Newsmen in Enugu on Friday.
Abubakar said that residents of the market woke up to discover the dead bodies which included four men and three women.
He said that all the affected persons, including tricycle riders, artisans and others from different households, were stooling and vomiting.
“The corpses are still in their rooms as we speak. We shall soon proceed to the cemetery to bury the Muslims among them while the Christians will be taken by their relations,” he said.
Officials of the Enugu State Ministry of Health were already on ground to investigate the cause of the deaths.
The health officials came with the emergency operations Hilux van of the ministry. The leader of the team, who pleaded anonymity, described the situation as worrisome as all the deceased were in no way related.
The source said that there could be a possible outbreak of epidemic in the area, adding that medical doctors at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Park Lane, had been alerted.
The source revealed that other persons who were in critical condition are immediately rushed to the said hospital.
The eight persons were immediately rushed to the hospital in a bus with the inscription, ‘Olamaboro Local Government Council’.
When contacted, Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr George Ugwu, said that it was premature to speak on the matter as no one was sure on the cause of the deaths.
He said that a team of health experts had been sent to the place to get more information.
