This archive report was first published on 12 November 2019.
On September 18, an outbreak of a mysterious disease was first reported in Webuye West, Bungoma County, affecting over 10 villages.
The victims, including candidates sitting this year's KCSE exams and their invigilators from five secondary schools, showed similar symptoms such as vomiting blood, back pain, loss of memory, persistent headache, dizziness, swelling of legs and hands, joint aches, and blood-stained loose stool.
As of yesterday, dozens of victims had been referred to the Bungoma County Referral Hospital, with unconfirmed reports indicating a number of deaths may also be related to the disease.
Ambrose Wamalwa, one of the first victims, described his experience: "I woke up one morning feeling tired and weak. I went to a pharmacy and bought malaria drugs and after taking them, I started trembling and became weaker," he said.
Medics took blood samples from Wamalwa and conducted typhoid and malaria tests that returned negative results. He was given malaria drugs and discharged.
County Public Health Officer Moses Wambusi suspects that the victims might have taken contaminated water, while Director of Health Johnstone Akatu believes the patients were suffering from malaria.
