Tweet
THREE PUPILS DIE
09 July, 2010 10:00:00 By Fanyana Mabuza
Font size:
Three pupils from Mcuba Primary school at Mkhuzweni in Northern Hhohho have died after a suspected meningitis outbreak.
The outbreak is suspected to have been witnessed over the past weekend and the dead pupils began showing symptoms of illness from Monday.
On Tuesday, three of the children, after showing severe signs of sickness where they complained of persistent headaches, running tummies, an insatiable thirst and general weakness, were sent to the Mkhuzweni Health Centre.
According to the area?s MP David Shongwe, one of the children died upon arrival and before he could be seen by a doctor who then transferred the two to the Piggs Peak Government Hospital.
Another one died while undergoing treatment at the Hospital and yesterday morning reports came in to the effect that another had died.
Shongwe said he could not be sure whether it was the third child or a new case, but confirmed that by yesterday afternoon three children, all male, had died.
Classes were yesterday stopped at the school and the children were not allowed to gather in their classes in fear of infecting each other with the illness. Yesterday, a strong team from the ministry of Health?s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) section was at the school for the whole day trying to bring the situation under control. Amongst them were doctors, health inspectors, epidemiologists, nurses and other support staff were working around the clock collecting samples and case histories in a bid to ascertain the real cause of the death of the pupils.
They had also brought three ambulances, one from the Mkhuzweni Health Centre, but they could not transport any child to the hospital by yesterday afternoon.
Some of them, especially the epidemiologists, visited nearby homesteads where they collected data about the general well-being of people in the area and how they lived. MP Shongwe confirmed the matter saying he was called by a resident on Wednesday afternoon just after Parliament was adjourned, where he was told that children were dying at this area which is distant from his residence. ?I drove to the area and found a lot of families distraught with children showing the symptoms. I personally drove the first three children to the clinic where one died before he could be attended to. The following day when I came to the area to check, I saw another woman with three of her children who were showing similar symptoms.
I also rushed them to hospital where I heard that another had died. The previous night I had called the Minister of Health who promised to do something in the morning, and true to his word, he has sent a high powered team to try and put the situation under control,? Shongwe said in obvious distress.
When the Minister was called yesterday afternoon, he confirmed the outbreak stating that the symptoms were pointing towards meningitis but they could not be exactly sure until the samples had been tested in a laboratory.
09 July, 2010 10:00:00 By Fanyana Mabuza
Font size:
Three pupils from Mcuba Primary school at Mkhuzweni in Northern Hhohho have died after a suspected meningitis outbreak.
The outbreak is suspected to have been witnessed over the past weekend and the dead pupils began showing symptoms of illness from Monday.
On Tuesday, three of the children, after showing severe signs of sickness where they complained of persistent headaches, running tummies, an insatiable thirst and general weakness, were sent to the Mkhuzweni Health Centre.
According to the area?s MP David Shongwe, one of the children died upon arrival and before he could be seen by a doctor who then transferred the two to the Piggs Peak Government Hospital.
Another one died while undergoing treatment at the Hospital and yesterday morning reports came in to the effect that another had died.
Shongwe said he could not be sure whether it was the third child or a new case, but confirmed that by yesterday afternoon three children, all male, had died.
Classes were yesterday stopped at the school and the children were not allowed to gather in their classes in fear of infecting each other with the illness. Yesterday, a strong team from the ministry of Health?s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) section was at the school for the whole day trying to bring the situation under control. Amongst them were doctors, health inspectors, epidemiologists, nurses and other support staff were working around the clock collecting samples and case histories in a bid to ascertain the real cause of the death of the pupils.
They had also brought three ambulances, one from the Mkhuzweni Health Centre, but they could not transport any child to the hospital by yesterday afternoon.
Some of them, especially the epidemiologists, visited nearby homesteads where they collected data about the general well-being of people in the area and how they lived. MP Shongwe confirmed the matter saying he was called by a resident on Wednesday afternoon just after Parliament was adjourned, where he was told that children were dying at this area which is distant from his residence. ?I drove to the area and found a lot of families distraught with children showing the symptoms. I personally drove the first three children to the clinic where one died before he could be attended to. The following day when I came to the area to check, I saw another woman with three of her children who were showing similar symptoms.
I also rushed them to hospital where I heard that another had died. The previous night I had called the Minister of Health who promised to do something in the morning, and true to his word, he has sent a high powered team to try and put the situation under control,? Shongwe said in obvious distress.
When the Minister was called yesterday afternoon, he confirmed the outbreak stating that the symptoms were pointing towards meningitis but they could not be exactly sure until the samples had been tested in a laboratory.
