Darfur pupils’ mystery disease ‘hysteria’: Sudanese Health Ministry

The Sudanese Federal Ministry of Health has classified the mysterious condition that recently emerged among school students of El Taweisha locality in North Darfur as cases of hysteria and not paralysis. A report issued by the Federal Department of Epidemiology has acknowledged 90 cases at El Taweisha Hospital after the federal investigation team’s arrival. They report 30 cases of hysteria on January 23 among basic schoolgirls between 7-14 years. The Epidemiology Department statement  pointed out that after the arrival of the team, the cases rose to more than 90, complaining of abdominal pain and headaches. These were diagnosed as hysteria after ruling out all other diseases. Likewise, 90 cases from a school for boys at the same village, were also diagnosed as hysteria. The statement reported two cases at the same school on January 29, followed by seven new cases recorded in the following day, ruling out contaminated meals at schools in the region.File photo: A basic school for boys in Kabkabiya, North Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related:North Darfur ‘mystery disease’ diagnosed as paralysis (4 February 2014)’Mystery disease’ strikes North Darfur school children (2 February 2014)Unknown disease among North Darfur school students (26 January 2014)