Mukumu Girls teacher now dies in hospital as new symptoms puzzle doctors

The death toll from a mysterious infection at Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County has risen to four after a teacher, who also served as the boarding mistress succumbed while in ICU in Eldoret.

Doctors at the LifeCare Speciality Hospital say 44-year-old Julian Mujema died from multiple organ failure.

Mujema was admitted to LifeCare Speciality Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in Eldoret with acute kidney and liver failure on Wednesday night.

“The chief complaint was unstable vital, multi-organ failure and bleeding from the vagina. When she came in she was very critical. Losing a lot of blood and her blood pressure was very low,” said Dr Rahul Koshek, who is in charge of the hospital’s ICU Department.

According to the family, Mujema was first admitted on the 2nd of April and was treated at three different hospitals before coming to LifeCare.

"When I talked to the doctors here in the morning, they said they reported these cases of Mukum Girls to the government. They said they present rare conditions that need interventions of KEMRI and other health practitioners," said Amos Ngira Mujema, brother to the deceased.

One other student is reportedly being admitted with severe symptoms at the same hospital.

“We’ve been informed another patient is coming with the same symptom. Our team is fully prepared," said Bibichen Thomas, the Director of LifeCare Specialty Hospital.

This follows reports of a Form 4 student who died on Tuesday this week while receiving medical treatment at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital. She was the third student to succumb.

According to an autopsy report, the student passed on from multi-organ failure.

The cause of the outbreak that began at the school late last month evolved from suspected food poisoning to contaminated water to intestinal flu.

The newer symptoms from diarrhoea and vomiting to fluctuating fever and haemorrhaging are puzzling doctors on just what they are dealing with.

While berating the Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission, Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale on Thursday warned parents against taking their daughters back to the school until outstanding issues are addressed.

In a statement, he accused the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of negligence and failure to take action.

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

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

Five others are still admitted at Kakamega County Referral Hospital but reported to be on the mend in the isolation ward.

The Ministry of Health is yet to release findings from the samples taken from the school.

Meanwhile, students from Mukuuni Boys High School in Tharaka Nithi were rushed to hospital over fears of a cholera outbreak.

“40 students were affected, 3 hospitalized at Chuka Referral Hospital. So far one is discharged,” said Tharaka Nithi County Director of Education Bridget Wambua.

The school which has a population of 900 students was closed indefinitely as public health officials carry on with investigations into suspected contamination of water.