Mbooni Girls' School Gate. 
By Andrew Mbuva.
At least 1,000 students from Mbooni Girls High School have been sent home following a suspected disease outbreak that left hundreds suffering from severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches, with fresh revelations emerging that contaminated drinking water may have been the source of the illness.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Mbooni West Subcounty Director of Education Benjamin Mauko said the problem began last Tuesday when students started complaining of stomach complications.
“The problem started last week on Tuesday when about 200 students complained of abdominal pains and diarrhea. The number has now risen to 231, and as a result we have decided to send all the students home,” said Mauko.
He added that samples had already been collected for laboratory analysis, but transportation challenges caused by the ongoing matatu strike had delayed delivery of the samples to the National Public Health Laboratory for testing.
“We have the samples but due to the current matatu strike we are unable to take them to the National Public Health Laboratory to establish the exact cause of the problem,” he said.
Mbooni West Subcounty Health Administrative Officer Winfred Mulwa confirmed that health officials were alerted on Sunday after students developed symptoms including stomachaches, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.
According to Mulwa, 133 students were treated at Mbooni Subcounty Hospital and later discharged back to school after receiving medical attention.
“One girl who was in critical condition was admitted, but her condition is now stable,” she said.
Mulwa further stated that public health officers were dispatched to the school to investigate the source of the illness and assess hygiene conditions within the institution.
However, an unnamed student who spoke to the media painted a worrying picture of the situation at the school, alleging that students had for days been consuming water contaminated with worms from one of the school’s water tanks.
The student claimed the illness first appeared last week, with affected students initially being given painkillers at the school dispensary before the number of cases rapidly increased.
“Students started complaining of stomach pains and were told to go to the matron. She gave them Panadol, but the number kept increasing,” the student said.
The situation reportedly worsened on Saturday when many students allegedly began fainting within the school compound.
“People were fainting everywhere. No teachers could continue with lessons because students kept collapsing and leaving class,” she alleged.
The student further claimed that some learners experienced severe diarrhea and vomited blood as the cases escalated to more than 100 students, forcing dozens to seek treatment in hospital.
She also alleged that the school’s drinking water had visible white worms, but students continued using it because they had no alternative source of water.
“The water from the tank had white worms. We had no option but to drink it because it was the same water being used for cooking,” she claimed.
According to the student, learners only realized the extent of the contamination after pouring the water into cups and plates where the worms became visible.
“You would remove the worms and continue drinking the water because there was no other option,” she added.
The student said a new water tank with clean water was later introduced after the school administration reportedly discovered the contamination, but by then students had already consumed the suspected water for about a week.
Health officials have since launched investigations to determine whether the illnesses were linked to contaminated water, poor sanitation or another underlying cause.
Parents and guardians were on Monday night instructed to collect their children from the school as investigations and medical assessments continue.
