Fatal neurological syndrome threatens thousands of Ugandan children
Nodding syndrome (aka, nodding disease) is a little-known syndrome which first emerged in Africa in the 1960s. The fatal disease affects young children under the age of 15, leaving them mentally and physically disabled.
Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 9
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- Padre, Uganda. Nodding syndrome has claimed its 66th victim in Padre, Uganda. It is a little-known syndrome which first emerged in Sudan 3 decades ago. The disease affects young children aged between 5 and 15 [other reports put the victims age bracket between 3 and 18,] leaving them mentally and physically disabled.
- “Nodding disease is a peculiar health problem that was first reported in the district in 2008 and is characterized by head nodding, mental retardation, stunted growth, blindness, body stiffness, endless running nose and saliva, occasional defecation and urination during attack of the infected person,” said a report.
- The disease is spreading rapidly in Uganda’s Padre district with up to 1,600 infections registered per day since August, according to Pader District Health Officer Janet Oola.
- Possible causes of the disease include exposure to chemical or biological weapons.
Other Disasters
- Kolkata, India. At least 73 people were killed when fire engulfed a hospital in the Indian city of Kolkata.
- The AMRI hospital staff said the victims included 70 patients and three staff members, Indo-Asian News Service reported.
- Missouri, USA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declare 24 counties in Missouri as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by severe storms with hail and high winds that occurred Aug. 18-22, 2011.
- Seven counties designated as the Primary Disaster Areas: Andrews, Atchison, Gentry, Lafayette, Nodaway, Pettis and Platte.
- Seventeen counties designated as the Contiguous Disaster Areas: Benton, Clay, Daviess, Henry, Johnson, Saline, Buchanan, Clinton, De Kalb, Holt, Morgan, Worth, Carroll, Cooper, Harrison, Jackson and Ray.
- The following counties in Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska were also designated as disaster areas because they’re contiguous:
- Iowa: Fremont, Page and Taylor counties.
- Kansas: Atchison, Doniphan, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties.
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Nebraska: Nemaha, Otoe and Richardson counties.
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