Unexplained Illness Paralyses Over 90 Kenyan Schoolgirls, Investigation Underway

In an alarming turn of events, over 60 students from Eregi Girls High School in Kenya have been hospitalized due to an unidentified illness. This mysterious disease has paralyzed their legs, rendering most of them unable to walk. The number of affected students is expected to rise as more students are being rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Symptoms and Initial Findings

Initial laboratory tests conducted at the Ihugu Hospital revealed that the students had elevated electrolytes, indicating that they had lost fluids. The loss of electrolytes can occur due to prolonged or severe diarrhea and sweating. Electrolytes are crucial for maintaining electrical neutrality in human body cells and for generating and conducting action potentials in the nerves and muscles.

Hospitals Overwhelmed, Investigations Underway

Hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed due to the sudden influx of patients. A medic at Ihugu Hospital stated that the facility is already overstretched and that they are seeking support from other smaller facilities. Meanwhile, at Kakamega General Hospital, more students are being admitted but laboratory work had not yet been conducted at the time of reporting. Samples have been taken from the students and sent to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) for analysis.

Concerns Among Parents and School Officials

The mysterious illness has caused great concern among parents and school officials. The local government has initiated an investigation into the matter with hopes of determining the cause soon to prevent further incidents. The health and safety of the students remain the top priority as the community awaits more information. This incident comes following a similar outbreak at Mukumu Girls High School earlier this year, where two students and a teacher died and more than 500 students were hospitalized.

Increasing Cases and the Need for Quick Intervention

More than 30 girls were admitted at KCGH, 20 at Shibwe, and 12 more at Iguhu Level Four Hospital on Monday evening. This comes after two students and a teacher succumbed to the disease that broke out at Mukumu Girls High School in April this year. More than 500 students were hospitalized as a result of the outbreak. A nurse at KCGH, who is not authorized to speak on behalf of the facility, hinted that preliminary tests on the Eregi students revealed a disease that paralyzes the students' legs. There are fears that the number of students affected could rise as some health facilities appear to be overwhelmed with the number of patients.