A mysterious illness with unknown origins has swept the campus of an all-girls school in Kenya, causing dozens of students to be hospitalized.
Nearly 100 students at St. Theresa’s Eregi Girls’ High School in Kakamega on Wednesday complained of one or more symptoms, including knee pain, difficulty walking, and leg paralysis. Some girls experienced erratic body movements that appeared to look like convulsions, according to a report by BBC News.
Health authorities collected blood, stool, and urine samples for laboratory testing. Results are still pending, but some health experts suggest an outbreak of mass hysteria may have caused the illness.
What Is Mass Hysteria?
Mass hysteria, also known as mass psychogenic illness (MPI), is characterized as “the rapid spread of conversion disorder without organic basis among a group of people.” Outbreaks often emerge in tightly-knit communities undergoing high levels of emotional or mental stress and are common in workplaces and schools. The mental disorder dates back to the 14th century. Historically, it has impacted people from all cultures across all regions worldwide and is said to be a result of social and cultural contagion.
Mass hysteria causes a brain disruption that results in physical symptoms. These symptoms are out of a person’s control and vary depending on what part of the brain is triggered. Symptoms can include:
- Unusual muscle tension, spasms, twitches, and tremors.
- Muscle weakness.
- Seizures.
- Paralysis.
- Sensory disruptions.
- Dizziness or fainting.
- Chronic fatigue.
This isn’t the first time mass hysteria has shaken this community. Four years ago, one student acquired a cough that quickly spread to others, the BBC reported. However, the symptoms involved in the incident mimicked that of a viral disease. The event at the girls’ school is concerning because the symptoms aren’t characteristic of a viral illness.
Some parents have taken their children out of school, but it remains unclear if the school is closed, according to the BBC report.
Some Suspect Vaccine May Play a Role
Some social media users are floating the idea that the COVID-19 vaccine is to blame.
One person on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted, “COUNCIDENCE??? More than 100 female students at St. Theresa Eregi Girls’ High School in Kenya were diagnosed with an unknown disease! In July 2023, there was a COVID 19 vaccination campaign at the same school.”
Another user wrote, “A very interesting coincidence that one year later, nearly 100 students from St. Theresa Eregi Girls are now suffering from a mysterious disease,” attaching a World Health Organization (WHO) photo of a girl getting a COVID-19 shot during a 2022 vaccine campaign sponsored by the agency.
The WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue to recommend the COVID-19 vaccines, with the FDA having approved an updated vaccine intended to combat new variants in September.