/ 7 September 2010

Hospital still in dark over ‘mystery illness’

The Olivedale Hospital hopes to know later this week what caused the deaths of two brothers at the facility, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Tests were continuing.

It said the cases of two staffers who came down with high fevers were unrelated to those of the brothers. The two staffers had since been discharged.

Key features of the brothers’ illness included fever and liver failure.

“Diagnostic investigations revealed nothing conclusive to date and will continue until a direct cause of death can be established,” the hospital said. “Results of additional tests are anticipated in the next week.”

The hospital said it would continue working with the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the Department of Health on the matter.

The Star reported that the brothers died within 24 hours of each other of a “mystery illness”. — Sapa