Eighteen people in Nigeria suddenly died after consuming what was believed to be a tainted batch of gin, health officials said.
Ebola was originally feared to be the source of the small outbreak after 23 people fell ill in the Nigerian town of Ode-Irele on April 15, the Agence France-Presse reported.
But preliminary toxicology tests pointed toward another cause of the mysterious deaths.
"We strongly suspect ethanol poisoning and in view of this, we have ordered for another toxicology test for surviving victims," Ondo state health commissioner Dayo Adeyanju told AFP on Monday.
It was determined that many of the victims drank the alcohol mixed with herbs. They soon fell ill with headaches and suffered weight loss and blurred vision before losing consciousness. Eighteen out of the 23 were dead within a day of becoming sick.
The World Health Organization, which sent officials to the village, previously said the deaths could have been linked to pesticide poisoning. The five survivors have been referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for further testing, AFP reported.
Adeyanju said their conditions are not contagious.
"We will continue to monitor the situation. We are appealing to our people to report any case of sudden illness or death to the health authorities for immediate action," he told AFP.
