Just over a month after a mysterious illness struck Kisii, affecting hundreds, the government has now deployed a team of medical officers to Kakamega County following the outbreak of another unexplained disease that has left one person deceased and several others affected.
The mysterious disease has left residents of Shimanyiro village in Ikolomani living in fear, with dozens reporting severe abdominal and chest pains, fever, headaches, and other symptoms.
In response, the county government of Kakamega dispatched a team of medical officers to investigate the disease and come up with efforts to contain the spread.
Additionally, the team is expected to collect samples from the affected individuals to help the government do a proper laboratory analysis to determine the nature of the malady.
''We have not established the origin of the disease, but our doctors are doing all they can to investigate and know if there is any outbreak,'' Kakamega County Chief Executive of Health Livingstone Imbayi told the media.
This happened even as the residents shifted blame to the Ministry of Health for not acting with speed to help contain the disease, despite the residents seeking medical assistance from experts.
The residents who spoke to the media revealed that despite going to the local hospitals, the antibiotics prescribed by the health personnel have done nothing to help contain the situation.
According to the villagers, they were denied treatment when they sought treatment at the local government facilities since they were not registered under the Social Health Authority (SHA).
''We have been hit by a strange disease that has left 12 affected. Some have been treated and are being monitored, and some are seriously ill. As you can see, some of them are being taken to the hospital aboard the government ambulances,'' a villager stated.
''It is very sad that when one visits the hospital, they are told that they must have SHA. This is happening when they cannot afford to register for the scheme.''
According to locals, some victims—especially children—exhibited extreme weakness, loss of appetite, and persistent vomiting.
Despite these symptoms, nearby medical facilities reportedly turned them away, forcing families to manage the illness at home.
On March 3, following a public health scare in Kisii County, where over 200 people were hospitalised with an unidentified illness, the government assured swift action, with Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni confirming the deployment of emergency surveillance teams from the Ministry of Health to assess and respond to the situation.
A day later, the government confirmed that the mysterious illness identified in February was caused by the contamination of a community well.
