Death toll from infection at Mukumu Girls rises to 3 as student in ICU succumbs

According to reports, the Form 4 student died while receiving medical treatment at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital.

The 18-year-old student was taken to the facility and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit ICU) early in April following an outbreak at the school. 

According to her parents, Rasoha Mambili and Paul Mambili, the deceased student had gone home for mid-term sick.

The parents told Citizen.Digital that they had tried unsuccessfully to seek medical attention from various hospitals.

The latest death brings the total number of students who have died as a result of a bacterial infection outbreak at the school to three.

The school was closed indefinitely last Monday after 500 other students were said to be infected.

72 students from the Kakamega County school were admitted to the Kakamega County General Hospital in late March, with health officials suspecting a Cholera outbreak.

County public health officials, however, ruled out Cholera after tests revealed a possibility of food poisoning.

According to a committee constituted to probe the incident, the school was using a poisonous chemical to preserve cereals and at the same time, supplemented the water supply with contaminated spring water. 

"Because of a desire to make sure their cereals are consumed, they use an unscrupulous chemical called Nova to preserve the cereal," Senator Khalwale said.