One person has been confirmed dead and 10 others hospitalised following outbreak of a strange ailment suspected to be seizure at Mary Mount College, Agbor in Delta State.

This is as the state government has shut the school in a move to ensure the situation does not escalate.

At a meeting with officials of the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in Asaba, the management of the school confirmed the outbreak of the sickness.

It was learnt that the student died after her parents took her to hospital following symptoms of jerking even as the 10 cases were being managed at various medical facilities.

Sister Kauna Yakubu Ola who led the school management to the meeting, said parents were immediately notified as soon as their wards started manifesting strange symptoms. She said four of the surviving students were taken to St. John’s Hospital, Agbor, while parents of the other six students took them to hospitals of their choices.

She said there is a gas plant close to the school and that school management had told the owner to relocate it to another place in the interest of the health and safety of the students and other residents.

A statement from the state Ministry of Health said the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been notified of the outbreak of the strange disease and that samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory, Abuja for detailed analysis.

“Members of the public should not panic as government is already on top of the matter and cases of this nature should be reported to the nearest government owned hospital,” it said.