Eregi students suffered from hysteria, Health officials rule
The entrance to Eregi Girls High School in Kakamega County on October 3, 2023. Chaos broke out at the learning institution following an outbreak of a strange illness that affected dozens of students on Monday.
What you need to know:
- More than 108 students suffered weak limbs and experienced difficulties in walking with shaking of the body
- According to Dr Wesonga, Culture and Sensitivity tests help identify infections in a patient through a process that involves taking a tissue or fluid sample from the body of a patient and testing it to see if germs will grow in it
- Dr Wesonga said it is possible for learners to panic, develop weak limbs and become immobile and the remedy to address the problem is guidance and counseling
Students from Eregi Girls High School who were admitted in hospitals with paralysis in their legs have been confirmed to suffer from hysteria which health officials say was due to the coming end of year examinations.
More than 108 students suffered weak limbs and experienced difficulties in walking with shaking of the body.
Tests conducted from samples taken from the students who were hospitalised at Kakamega County General Hospital (KCGH), Mukumu mission hospital, Iguhu Level Four and Shibwe sub-county hospitals ruled out any infection in the school.
Kakamega County Health Executive Dr Bernard Wesonga said the students suffered psychological problems after the tests taken to Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) in Kisumu and Nairobi failed to detect any pathogen in the samples.
“Samples were collected from the students who were admitted in four hospitals within the county and taken to government laboratories where we conducted both culture and sensitive tests. However, results have shown that the learners were not suffering from any illness. This indicates a psychological challenge that could have been driven by panic,” said Dr Wesonga.
According to Dr Wesonga, Culture and Sensitivity tests help identify infections in a patient through a process that involves taking a tissue or fluid sample from the body of a patient and testing it to see if germs will grow in it.
If bacteria grows from a person's culture, the test result is considered positive meaning that one is likely to have an infection and vice versa.
The samples vary from blood, urine, sputum, stool, skin or wound site, genital tract, throat or nares.
Samples taken from the Eregi Girls High school students who were taken ill on Monday and Tuesday included faeces, blood and urine.
Dr Wesonga said it is possible for learners to panic, develop weak limbs and become immobile and the remedy to address the problem is guidance and counseling.
Education officials in the Western region and the school management bowed to pressure from parents to partially close down the school.
Learners who were collected by their parents from the school are expected to report back between Monday and Thursday next week.
Mr Jared Obiero, the Western Region Director of Education said the decision to allow students back home with their parents was due to pressure from students who became rowdy after they demanded to be released and go home with their parents.
At least 46 students were discharged from hospital on Thursday.
He said that after consultations with the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, they decided that Form One students report back on Monday followed by Form Fours on Tuesday, Form Twos on Wednesday and Form Threes on Thursday.
Some five Form Four candidates were also said to have accompanied their parents from school.
