Cause of death of eight Shinyalu residents still a mystery

 

The cause of the mysterious death of eight people in Shinyalu, Kakamega county, last month still remains unknown.      

The hands and genitals of the victims from Shina village started swelling and they died one after the other.

The deaths were suspected to have been caused by either witchcraft triggered by an alleged theft of chang'aa or anthrax. 

But a team dispatched by the Kakamega government to probe the deaths has ruled out anthrax.

"Results of the samples taken to Kemri in Kisumu by our team for suspected anthrax as the cause of death returned negative," Health Services executive Collins Matemba said.

The team comprises experts from the Health ministry and the county disease surveillance unit.

The deaths stopped early this month after it was reported that those who were showing similar symptoms to those who died of the strange disease had apologised to the owner of the alleged stolen brew and he had reversed the 'witchcraft'.

Area MCA Edward Shivembe said on April 8 that the samples taken by the county specialists would confirm whether the disease was treatable.

"If tests on the collected samples do not show any medical condition, then we'll know it is witchcraft," he said.

Families of the victims claimed that their loved ones died after consuming illicit brew that had been stolen.

They said the theft occurred in January and the first death was reported the same month.

The brewer is said to have complained bitterly about the theft of his brew and demanded that those who stole own up and apologise to avoid unspecified consequences.  BY THE STAR