By Kayugira Dante, Nairobi
The Ministry of Health has said that investigations into the mysterious illness at Mukumu Girls High school that saw 627 students taken ill was typhoid.
The Acting Director General of Health Patrick Amoth told the media today in Nairobi that the outbreak of the disease started around March 1, this year but was not detected early.
Dr Amoth said that 19 students are still admitted in different hospitals across the country and that they were in stable condition.
He said four patients have died from the incident. However, at the time of going to the press, another student died at Kakamega County Teaching and Referral hospital while undergoing treatment.
“The disease presents with fever, abdominal pain/cramps, vomiting and diarrhea. Comprehensive investigations are currently underway but data analysed have revealed Enterotoxigenic E.coli and Salmonella typhi as the cause of the illness,” said Dr Amoth
He said laboratory tests conducted on grains and pulses for aflatoxin have turned negative of aflatoxicosis.
He said that the results also showed that Butere Boys had a typhoid outbreak.
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