Twenty-seven persons have died from the outbreak of a yet to be identified epidemic in Oye community of obi local government area of Benue state.

Over 197 patients are also said to be suffering from general symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, bloated stomach, as medical doctors race against time to establish the name of the diseases.

The Doctor in charge at the Oju general hospital, Mr. Onoja Matthew told Channels Television that, preliminary investigation and samples were taken for laboratory analysis for Lassa fever came back negative, prompting the hospital to refer the patients higher up for testing.

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At Oye community, a four hours drive from Makurdi, survivors of the epidemic appealed for urgent containment of the disease to save the 197 patients who may lose their lives for lack of medical facility, road and potable water, a major cause of the outbreak after drinking from the chemically poisoned river.

While the cause of the epidemic may be from the use of chemical on this river, these symptoms are being recorded in two other neighboring communities, but the urgent need here is, immediate access to medical services to contain the outbreak, provision of access road to link them up to alternative support and potable water, a major source of concern in the area.