Machogu to Visit Mukumu Girls High School in Wake of Outbreak
Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, is scheduled to visit Mukumu Girls High School in Kakamega County today. The visit comes after the school was closed on April 3 due to an outbreak that resulted in the deaths of three students and one teacher, with several others being hospitalized and in critical condition.
This will be CS Machogu’s first visit to the school since the tragic events unfolded over a week and a half ago. An invitation has been sent to media houses stating that the CS will assess the situation at the school in light of the disease outbreak that has claimed four lives so far, including three students and one teacher.
The press conference is scheduled for 10:30 am at the Shinyalu Sub-county where the school is located. It is worth noting that in the initial stages of the outbreak, the Basic Education Principal Secretary, Belio Kipsang, and the Health Cabinet Secretary, Susan Nakhumicha, had also visited the school to assess the situation.
The Ministry of Health has identified the cause of the outbreak to be contaminated food consumed by the students at Mukumu Girls High School. In a statement issued by the Director General for Health, Patrick Amoth, it was revealed that the disease is likely a mixture of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella typhi, which are known to cause food poisoning and typhoid fever respectively.
These microorganisms are commonly found in contaminated water sources. Further laboratory investigations conducted on the grains and pulses for aflatoxin came back negative for aflatoxicosis, ruling out another potential cause of the illness.
Tests for other viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola Virus Disease, Marburg Virus Disease, Leptospirosis, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Dengue Fever, Rift Valley Fever, and West Nile Virus, also turned out negative.
The Ministry of Health is continuing its analysis on the samples to determine any other potential causes of the illness and will communicate the findings of these tests. CS Machogu’s visit to Mukumu Girls High School is expected to provide further insights into the situation and the measures that will be taken to prevent future outbreaks and ensure the safety and well-being of the students and staff.
The tragic events at the school have raised concerns about food safety and hygiene practices in educational institutions, and it is expected that appropriate measures will be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health are working closely to address the situation and ensure the health and safety of all students and staff in schools across the country.
Machogu to Visit Mukumu Girls High School in Wake of Outbreak
