Mukumu girls high school students consumed food that was contaminated with fresh faeces, the Ministry of Health has said.
Director General for Health Patrick Amoth made the revelation on Friday.
“The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that this disease is likely to be a mixture of E. coli and Salmonella typhi which usually occurs if water sources are contaminated with these micro-organisms,” he said.
At the same time, Amoth said further laboratory investigations carried out on the grains and pulses for aflatoxin turned negative for aflatoxicosis.
“Laboratory tests for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) including Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), Leptospirosis and Crimean- Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), Dengue Fever, Rift Valley Fever (RVF) and West Nile Virus have all turned negative,” he said.
“The Ministry is conducting further analysis on these samples to ascertain any other potential cause of this illness and will communicate the finding of these tests.”
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Amoth explained that the disease presents fever, abdominal pain/cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Investigations revealed that the disease seems to have started on March 1, 2023.
A total of 19 students are currently admitted to seven health facilities across the country.
Amoth said those admitted are in a stable condition.
So far three students and a teacher at Mukumu Girls School have succumbed to the disease
“We at the Ministry of Health send our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones,” he said.
The Ministry of Health has dispatched an investigation team from the National level to support the Kakamega County team.
“The team was further backed by a high-level visit of a multi-agency team led by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and included the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Basic Education, the Governor of Kakamega County, Western Regional Commissioner and the County Health, Education and Security teams.”
