Mystery illness kills at least six in Panama
Pastor Dale Morgan
Mystery illness kills at least six in Panama*
Reuters
October 4, 2006; 6:23 PM
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama's Health Ministry declared a national
epidemic alert on Tuesday after a mystery illness killed at least six
people and left others suffering with fever, diarrhea and partial paralysis.
Doctors do not know the cause but say the disease progresses rapidly to
the renal system and causes neurological damage. Another six people may
have died from it in the last month.
"These symptoms are completely unusual, and have not been detected
before in our country," Panama's health director, Cirilo Lawson, told
Reuters.
Ten more people have been stricken but survived.
Doctors in the central Panama and Cocle provinces are taking samples
from the affected people and seeking advice from abroad.