Kamonyi, Rwanda: Two students die of unidentified illness, over 200 hospitalized - possible food poisoning

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http://allafrica.com/stories/201103240042.html

Rwanda: Food Poisoning Kills Two Students, 200 Hospitalized
Edwin Musoni
24 March 2011

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Kamonyi ? Two pupils from Mukinga Primary School in Kamonyi District, died of suspected food poisoning while over 200 were hospitalized.

According to school authorities, most of those hospitalized have so far been discharged. About 20 remain in hospital.

"The first case was realized on March 10 when a primary one child died while another in primary six died on March 18," said Innocent Mwitirihe, the school Headmaster.

"At one point, the majority of pupils were sick and admitted but the numbers have gone down," he added.

The school has a population of 1,054 pupils.

The Director General of Health Communication Centre, Arthur Asiimwe, confirmed the incident and said they are investigating the cause, but suspect poor hygiene.

"For now, we anticipate the problem to have resulted from food poisoning, probably related to poor hygiene. However, we have taken blood and food samples to the national laboratory to ascertain the actual cause," Asiimwe said.

"We have also dispatched a team of doctors to give a hand even though the situation seems to be stabilizing".

Information from the Ministry of Health indicates that preliminary lab results indicate cases of food intoxication.

Most of the affected children were hospitalized at Mugina Health Centre complaining of fever, headache, abdominal pain and fatigue.

"Mugina health officials, with the support of our team, tested 261 pupils of this school, 13 of whom were admitted at Mugina Health Centre while 14 were hospitalized at Remera-Rukoma hospital," said Dr. Corine Karema, the acting Director General of TRAC plus said.

"We would like to assure the general public that the situation is under control. Those that have been treated are responding well and more drugs have been availed. Since the ministry's intervention, no death has occurred," Karema said.

The Director General of National Reference Laboratory, Dr. Odette Mukabayire, said that her office is currently working on the samples and will release the results soon.

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Re: Kamonyi, Rwanda: Two students die of unidentified illness, over 200 hospitalized - possible typhoid

http://www.contactfm.info/en/rwanda/1111-strange-disease-kills-pupils-in-kamonyi.html

Strange Disease kills Pupils in Kamonyi
A mysterious disease at Mukinga primary school in Nyamiyaga sector, Kamonyi district of the southern province has claimed two pupils and infected hundreds more.
School authorities say the disease, which they are calling an epidemic first surfaced on March 10 when it claimed its first victim, a primary one pupil. The second, a primary six pupil succumbed to the disease on March 18.

Although most of the infected pupils have now been admitted at the nearby Mugina health centre, medical personnel there say they don?t know the exact disease but say that it looks like typhoid.

Nsabimana Camir is a medical assistant at Mugina health centre. He told Contact FM they are looking after the children but that they won?t know the disease until results are out.

Listen to Mr. Nsabimana:

Area residents suspect the disease may be related to lack of hygiene at the school since these pupils have their lunch from the school considering the fact that the school and the area at large lack clean water.

There are also unconfirmed reports that parents of the affected pupils suspect their children are victims of poisoned food eaten at the school although school authorities have urged parents to take their children to the health centre for proper treatment.

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Re: Kamonyi, Rwanda: Two students die of unidentified illness, over 200 hospitalized - possible food poisoning or typhoid

http://www.contactfm.info/en/rwanda/1140-food-intoxication-in-kamonyi.html

Food intoxication in Kamonyi
Preliminary results from the national laboratory indicate that the cause of the mysterious disease that claimed the lives of two students in Kamonyi district could be due to food intoxication.
According to a release sent to newsrooms Thursday, preliminary results got from the national laboratory indicate that the outbreak of the disease could be due to food poisoning.

Corine Karema is the acting Director General of the national center for infectious disease control and prevention, TRAC PLUS.

Listen to Dr. Karema 1:

This results comes barely a day after contact fm paid a visit to Kamonyi and spoke with the director of the school Innocent Mwiterehe, who has ever since refuted claims of poor sanitation in his school.

Listen to Mr. Mwiterehe:

Food poisoning is a common, usually mild, but sometimes deadly illness. Depending on the contaminant, fever and chills, bloody stools, dehydration, and nervous system damage may follow.

And as corine explained, the ministry of health is urging any person with such symptoms at kamonyi to seek medical attention in the nearest health center.

Listen to Dr. Karema 2:

Meanwhile 17 students are still admitted at various hospitals in Kamonyi district due to the food poisoning that was first reported last week.