A mysterious disease has caused the deaths of at least nine individuals and left over 80 others hospitalised in Marsabit county, northern Kenya.
An official said six adults and three children aged between one and three years were among the fatalities.
Local media reports indicate that most of the affected individuals showed symptoms like flu, yellowing of the eyes, swollen spleen, and severe headaches.
While some patients have tested positive for malaria, medical experts have not ruled out the possibility of visceral leishmaniasis, commonly known as kala-azar disease.
Visceral leishmaniasis is characterised by recurrent episodes of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that if left untreated, this disease can prove fatal in over 95% of cases.
The Kenya Medical Research Institute(KEMRI) in the Laisamis and Saku areas of Marsabit county had detected the outbreak of an invasive species of mosquito two months.
