It originated at the Jinaraja Balika Vidyala in Gampola,Central Province on November 15, 2012 when a 1100 students were rushed to hospital with sudden allergies which range of symptoms that include skin rashes, vomiting, vertigo and cough.
Some of the
students who were sent home after initial treatment had to be once again taken
to hospital because of fainting bouts and complaints of headaches. Some of them
had broken out in skin rashes too.
“About 80% of these students sought treatment
following panic reactions. We couldn’t find any signs of rashes but they were
complaining of symptoms which we believe could have been psychological,” Central
Province Health Director Dr. Shanthi Samarasinghe said.
“The allergy
was present only for a day and the rashes disappeared when the children were
treated with simple medications for allergies.
“There were few cases where some students fainted and
there were also instances when the students vomited but we still couldn’t come
to a conclusion regarding the factors that caused these reactions,” she said.
After that incident on
November 16, there were more reports of students from other parts of the
country showing similar symptoms. 60 of the Somadevi Primary school of
Weligepola, Balangoda and more than 60 students from Walagamba Maha Vidyalaya
were hospitalised while more than 200 students of Nugawela Boys’ School, Kandy
had shown symptoms of allergic reactions and admitted to the hospital.
Doctors stated
that students who were brought to hospital showed symptoms of coughing,
vomiting and itchiness.
Meanwhile Dr. Harischandra Gambheera, a psychiatrist
attached to the National Institute of Mental Health, Angoda, said that there
was a possibility that these symptoms could have been the result of
Dissociative State also referred to as mass hysteria.
“This is common among children especially girls and that
it could spread among a group, all complaining of similar symptoms” he said.
What
is Mass hysteria?
Mass
hysteria—other names include collective hysteria, group hysteria, or collective
obsessional behavior—is the spontaneous manifestation of the same or similar hysterical physical
symptoms by
more than one person.
A
common manifestation of mass hysteria occurs when a group of people believe
they are suffering from a similar disease or
ailment. Sometimes referred to as mass psychogenic illness or epidemic
hysteria. (Wikipedia)
The Medical
Research Institute (MRI) is expected to release its findings on the recent
outbreak of 'allergic reaction' soon.MRI officials believed the reaction to be
caused by some insects or mites.
Sri Lanka Health
Ministry has taken steps to deploy a team consisting of specialist doctors at
each school where children were affected by an allergic reaction, in order to
carry out medical tests.
“There is no doubt it is mass hysteria. Because
it is communicable and has spread among children of the same age group, even in
schools far apart,” said The Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of
the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Dr Harischandra Gambhira .
“They should not be admitted to hospitals, given medical drugs or treatment for their so called allergic reactions, since this will only compound this problem. Instead, they should be clearly told that it is psychological,” he said.
Date
|
Name
of the School
|
No
of Students Admitted
|
November 14,
2012
|
Jinaraja
Balika Vidyalaya - Gampola
|
1100
|
November 15,
2012
|
Panwilatenna
Maha Vidyalaya - Gampola
|
40
|
November 15,
2012
|
Udagama Maha Vidyalaya, in Gampola
|
40
|
November 16,
2012
|
Somadevi Primary school of Weligepola, Balangoda
|
60
|
November 16,
2012
|
Weligepola
Walagamba Vidyalaya - Balangoda
|
68
|
November 16,
2012
|
Nugawela
Boys' School - Kandy
|
200
|
November 18,
2012
|
Athimale
Maha Vidalia - Siyabalanduwa
|
7
|
November 18,
2012
|
Senarathwala
Maha Vidalia - Digana
|
|
November 18,
2012
|
Polwattu
Rathnasara Maha Vidyalaya
|
50
|
November 19,
2012
|
Muslim
Maha Vidalia - Gampola
|
20
|
November
20, 2012
|
Udagama
Maha Vidalia - Balangoda
|
20
|
November
20, 2012
|
Gamini Vidalia
- Ampara
|
25
|
November
20, 2012
|
Anurudha
Balika Vidalia - Dematagoda
|
10
|
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