The death toll from a mysterious infection at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County has risen to four after a teacher succumbed to treatment at the ICU in Eldoret.
Juliana Mujema, who also served as the boarding mistress, succumbed to multiple organ failures while receiving treatment at the Lifecare Specialty Hospital, family said.
“The chief complaint was unstable vital, multi-organ failure and bleeding from the vagina. When she came in, she was very critical. Losing a lot of blood and her blood pressure was very low,” said Dr Rahul Koshek, who is in charge of the hospital’s ICU Department.
The family further said that Mujema was first admitted on the 2nd of April and was treated at three different hospitals before coming to LifeCare after her condition worsened.
“When I talked to the doctors here in the morning, they said they reported these cases of Mukumu Girls to the government. They said they present rare conditions that need interventions of KEMRI and other health practitioners,” said Amos Ngira Mujema, brother to the deceased.
Also Read: More Trouble for Mukumu Girls as Another Student Succumbs
Mujema’s death brings the count to four after three students passed away in a similar case of suspected food poisoning.
Her family says she exhibited symptoms like those of three students.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale on Thursday warned parents against taking their children back to school.
“I am disheartened to report that the situation on the ground has not changed, and I wish to advise parents of this great institution not to take their children back to school until the requisite changes are made,” he said.
Khalwale, who had visited the school to assess the situation, said the food storage area was still full of rotten foodstuff.
Also Read: Kakamega: Over 100 Mukumu Girls Students Admitted in Hospital
More than 100 students from Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls in Kakamega County were admitted to the county general hospital with fever and diarrhea late last month.
Three students have died since, with the third toll being a form four student.
The autopsy report from the Kakamega County Referral Hospital showed the student passed on from multi-organ failure.
The newer symptoms from diarrhoea and vomiting to fluctuating fever and hemorrhaging are a shock, as doctors try to understand the illness.