The disease was reported recently at New Explorers Girls Academy (NEGA), a high school in Gashora sector of Bugesera District and Rambura Girls School in Nyabihu District.
The disease was first reported a month ago at Rambura Girls School where it weakened the knees, inflicted pain and incapacitated the victim to walk.
The Minister of Education (MINEDUC), Eugene Mutimura has via twitter account explained that the examination carried out by MINISANTE experts indicated that the disease relates to consciousness and individuals’ behaviors and can spread to a group of people simultaneously.
Mass hysteria is “the rapid spread of illness signs and symptoms affecting members of a cohesive group, originating from a nervous system disturbance involving excitation, loss, or alteration of function, whereby physical complaints that are exhibited unconsciously have no corresponding organic aetiology.”
Minister Mutimura said: “We assure parents and Rwandans in general that we take control of students’ wellbeing across the country in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and relevant parties. Students continue their courses uninterruptedly.”
When the disease was reported in Nyabihu, the Director of Shyira Hospital, Dr. Maj. Emmanuel Kayitare told IGIHE that the disease was identified on 25th May 2019.
He said some them recovered after taking tranquilizers.
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