A tragedy has struck a family in Uriri Constituency, Migori County after six of its members mysteriously lost their eyesight.
Speaking to the press on Sunday, November 28, George Omondi, a survivor and family member, noted that his family members went to bed on Friday, November 26, while healthy but woke up unable to see on Saturday.
He further disclosed that the mysterious illness affected his wife and four of her children aged below 24 years old.
“My wife and all the children were in good health when we went to bed on Friday night. I only realised that my entire family had gone blind on Saturday morning,” Omondi told Nation.
The father also indicated that a nephew, who had been living with the family, mysteriously passed away after going blind.
The five were taken to Migori County Referral Hospital where they are still undergoing treatment. Doctors are yet to establish the root-cause of their illness.
Confirming the incident, Thim Jope Sub-Location Assistant Chief Kerry Otieno noted that the nephew passed away at around midday on Saturday.
“The victims woke up having lost their eyesight. The incident is quite baffling and we are yet to establish what could have happened.
"The twelve year old boy died by midday and his body has been moved to Ombo Mission Hospital mortuary,” stated the assistant chief.
According to a June 2021 report by the Voice of Africa, over 7 million people in Central Kenya risk losing eyesight over trachoma, a disease that causes blindness.
Trachoma is caused by bacteria that attacks the inner surfaces of the eyelids.
Flies, mostly found in Central Kenya due to its dry climate and nomadic lifestyle, helps spread the disease which can be preventable but irreversible if not detected and treated on time.
