Two students admitted after 'food poisoning'

Over 100 students from Naivasha Girls Secondary School were over the weekend treated for stomach ache and diarrhea.

The students developed complications due to what was suspected to be a case of food poisoning. Majority of them were taken to Naivasha Hospital while others were treated on the school compound.

Medical officers, however, could not ascertain whether it was a case of of food poisoning or not but alluded that the incident had an element of hysteria.

Of the students affected, two were admitted at the sub-county referral hospital and doctors said were in stable condition.

A source said the problem started after a group of students started complaining of stomach ache and diarrhea. “Later, more students reported the same symptoms forcing public health officers to be called in to assess the situation,” said the source.

The officer in charge of the sub-county hospital, Joseph Mburu, said the two cases admitted at the facility were being closely monitored.

He said they were suffering from hysteria but were in stable condition and would be released soon.

“Though majority of the affected students were complaining of food poisoning, there is an element of hysteria in the whole situation,” said Dr Mburu.

County Public Health Officer Samuel King’ori said the situation at the school had been contained.

“Our officers have collected samples and taken them to the Government chemist so that we can pinpoint the cause of the outbreak,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the school principal, Eunice Njenga, were fruitless as calls to her mobile phone went unanswered.

The move comes barely a fortnight after the Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i visited the institution and lashed out at the management for overcharging parents for tuition.

Meanwhile, the recent outbreak of cholera in Kasarani, Gilgil sub-county has been contained, according to Dr King’ori.

“We have managed to contain the recent outbreak and no new case has been reported,” he said.