Mystery Disease Kills
Three
The Namibian (Windhoek)
NEWS
June 2, 2006
Posted to the web June 2, 2006
By Christof Maletsky
PANIC is sweeping through suburbs north of Katutura after three
people died and 19 others were hospitalised with a disease that
still has to be identified.
A press release from the Ministry of Health and Social Services
last night indicated that the disease was not confined to the
Khomas Region, and that cases of "undiagnosed paralysis" among
adults had been reported in the Otjozondjupa and Hardap
regions.
A media briefing is scheduled for this morning to reveal
information related to the outbreak.
Well-placed hospital sources confirmed yesterday that two other
people were fighting for their lives in the Intensive Care Unit
(ICU) of the Windhoek Central Hospital after contracting the
mystery disease.
Health personnel revealed that parts of the Katutura and Windhoek
Central Hospital have been declared restricted areas as Government
intensifies efforts to identify the disease and to deal with
it.
When The Namibian visited the Okahandja Park informal settlement
yesterday to speak to a family who lost a baby, residents confirmed
that another child had died a few hours earlier in Babilon.
An emergency meeting took place late yesterday afternoon after
health personnel conducted a quick survey in Okuryangava and
Okahandja Park.
They were reporting their findings to the Deputy Minister of
Health, Petrina Haingura, and other senior staff members of the
Ministry.
Health sources said 18 adults and a child were hospitalised at the
Katutura and Windhoek Central hospitals and samples have been sent
to South Africa for analysis.
There were fears that they were all attacked by Guillain-Barré
syndrome (GBS) - a disorder of the peripheral nervous system.
It causes the nerves to inflame, slowing communication to and from
the brain.
Eventually, the brain is not able to effectively communicate with
the peripheral nerves, causing paralysis.
Victims become severely out of breath and unable to perform
previously effortless tasks, such as swallowing.
Cramps and body aches often follow.
After approximately two weeks, the patient may deteriorate to a
condition of severe paralysis.
However, health personnel said the disease appeared not to be
Guillain-Barré, although the symptoms were similar.
"We can't say exactly what it is but we also do not want to sound
alarm.
People must stay calm for now," said one senior health
official.
A FATHER'S STORY
Mateus Amupadhi, who lost his 10-month-old baby on Monday, said it
all happened very quickly.
"She started crying on Sunday night and we took her to hospital
where she got tablets.
She was fine the next morning when I went to work and took
medicine.
Next thing she started vomiting and we took her back.
She died while we were waiting for treatment," he said.
Amupadhi said the baby was not sick before that.
He is leaving for the North today to bury the baby.
Hilaria Ngolonga, a community activist in Okahandja Park, said she
knew of a man who died on board a bus to the North.
"It is very strange.
He stopped speaking and his eyes started getting bigger before he
died.
He was in the bus waiting for its departure to the North," she
said.
Another volunteer at the Okahandja Park Bridging Children School
said they had 19 children absent yesterday.
They were told that some had polio symptoms but will only know
today what exactly was wrong.