Medical Teams Probe Disease Outbreak

Heavy rains and the pests that breed in flood waters are suspected of causing a mysterious illness in which victims bleed to death. The World Health Organization and Kenyan officials sent medical teams to a northeastern region to investigate the outbreak. Local reports said at least 170 people had died in flooded villages and that the victims had symptoms such as high fever, diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding from the nose and mouth. Dr. Maina Kahindo, a Health Ministry official, said mosquitoes, lice or ticks that breed in flood waters may be spreading the illness. Twelve possible diseases are being investigated. Experts believe that the disease is unlikely to be Marburg fever or the closely related Ebola. Douglas Klaucke, acting WHO representative in Kenya, said teams will gather specimens and fly them back to Nairobi, the capital, for analysis.