Panic as Mysterious Disease Kills 23 Children

Anxiety has gripped residents and the medical fraternity of Nakuru County after a mysterious respiratory disease claimed the lives of 23 children aged between one day and eleven months in the past four weeks.

The disease whose symptoms are high fever, coughing, body weakness and sweating had been initially diagnosed as acute pneumonia, but tests done by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KeMRI) turned negative for the initial diagnosis.

While commenting on the issue, Nakuru County Health Executive Kabii Mungai said that medics were treating the outbreak as an acute respiratory illness whose cause was unknown. He further stated that officers from KeMRI moved into the county to unearth the causes of the disease.

“The most affected areas are in Nakuru County, although we have received a few cases from the neighbouring Baringo,” he said.

He called on parents who have infants to pay close attention to symptoms such as high fever and coughing, and seek immediate medical attention should such arise.

Also weighing in on the matter was Nakuru Senator James Mungai, who asked for help from the State since according to him, the County Government could not handle the outbreak effectively and efficiently.

So far 215 cases have been confirmed indicating a sharp rise from 177 in the past two weeks.

“Health is a devolved function but it seems the county governments have been overwhelmed and therefore requires external assistance,” said Mr Mungai. “This will be crucial to enable medics to address the 215 confirmed cases exhibiting similar symptoms.”

Bahati and Engashura have so far been identified as the most affected areas with more than fourty cases being treated at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hosptital (RV-PGH), the hospital's Superintendent in charge, John Murima asserted.

“Unfortunately, two of the three cases from the neighbouring Baringo passed away while undergoing treatment at the PGH,” said Murima, adding that the hospital was receiving a high number of referrals from other places in the county.