Mysterious bats attack six Delta Communities

Residents of Mosogar, Umolu Ugbevwe-Jesse, some parts of Sapele, Jesse and Ogor communities in Delta State have reportedly deserted their homes following a mysterious bats’ invasion in the areas in recent times.

It was reliably gathered by Punch that efforts by the communities to curtain the bats have proved abortive as the flying animals have overwhelmed the communities.

Apart from the fleeing residents, health workers in Mosogar, Umolu Ugbevwe-Jesse communities have raised the alarm over the increasing rate of the bats in government owned hospitals.

Dr. Eravwoke Onomine, Medical Director of the Sapele General Hospital, told our correspondent that the animals have defiled every effort by both the hospital managements and the communities to curtain them. He said, “When we started noticing the bats, we made efforts to check them, but as if in annoyance, before we knew what was happening, in few weeks, the bats came in full force, hanging on every available space in the hospital.”

Investigation revealed that the bats roost on trees, caves, mines and barns at the roof tops of the hospital, including individual houses where they have provided shelters for themselves.

The mammals are also nocturnal, meaning that they sleep during the day and are awake at night. But a fleeing resident, John Okotie told our correspondent, “Myself and my family moved out of the house when over 300 bats are now taking refuge in my house. We tried all means to drive them out to no avail”.

Further investigation revealed that aside economic benefits of helping in controlling the population of crops destroying insects, residents have expressed fears that they might contract Ebola virus especially when it is believed that the flying animals are regarded as carriers of the disease. Although, no case of death has been reported, there are indications that the bats may not depart the communities anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the fleeing residents have called on the state government to come to their aid and address their challenges in order to forestall possible outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus.

But in a swift reaction, Dr. Mordi Onoye, Chairman of the state Hospitals Management Board said “We will liaise with experts in the state Ministry of environment to see how this will be tackled. There

is nothing to fear, it is obvious that measures would be put in place to address the situation.”