Panic has gripped three public secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet county following the death of a Form One student because of malaria.

Affected schools are Sing’ore Girls High School, St. Patrick’s High School, Iten and Mutei Girls High School in Keiyo North sub-county.

County Health Executive Kiprono Chepkok confirmed the incident saying that the Sing’ore Girls High School student died yesterday barely a week after reporting to the school.

He said three students from Sing’ore Girls and one each from St Patrick’s Boys and Mutei Girls were taken to Iten County Referral Hospital where they are recuperating from the disease.

“Most of the students who have been admitted because of the disease hail from malaria zones counties of Siaya, Kakamega and Kerio Valley region,” said Chepkok.

Similar symptoms 

According to Chepkok, the dead student had complained of high fever, headache, abdominal pain and vomiting before succumbing to the illness.

“The other students from three different schools showed similar symptoms prompting the schools management to take quick intervention measures by rushing them to the hospital for treatment,” he said.

He said the dead student is suspected to have contracted the disease at home before she joined the school adding that the regional government has already taken measures to address the problem.

“We have enough drugs at Iten County Referral Hospital and there should be no cause for worry,” assured Chepkok, noting that students who were rushed to the hospital are responding well to treatment assuring that the county will do everything possible within its means to avert spread of the disease among the learners. 

The official asked the schools management to take their students to hospitals quickly in the event they detect any symptoms of malaria related illness instead of waiting until the situation gets out of hand.

“We have put public health personnel on high alert for any eventuality and we call for cooperation from management of learning institutions to combat the outbreak,” he said.