Schoolgirls treated for mass hysteria

More than 20 female students of the Dora Secondary School have been diagnosed with mass hysteria after they were transferred from the Long Creek Health Centre, Linden-Soesdyke Highway to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) on Wednesday.
The diagnosis was given by the Hospital’s resident psychiatrist, Dr Sandra Aranguren-Gilart on Wednesday after she treated the students. Two of the girls were subsequently admitted, but were later discharged.
Based on reports received, a group of schoolgirls between the ages of 12 and 15 reportedly began experiencing strange symptoms on the school’s premises on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, four other girls reportedly returned to the health facility with the same symptoms, and were treated and sent away.
Visits were later made by health officials to the school to determine what was causing the strange illness. According to reports, the canteen and water supply were inspected, but nothing was out of the ordinary.
It was reported that as the officials were about to leave, the first five girls, along with four others, began experiencing the same symptoms and were rushed to the health facility.
About 15 minutes after arriving at the health centre, another group of girls were said to have arrived with similar symptoms. Without hesitation, the girls were transported to the LHC for observation.
While some had blamed the extremely hot weather for the symptoms, the hospital’s resident psychiatrist diagnosed the girls with mass hysteria.
Mass hysteria is also described as a “conversion disorder”, in which a person has physiological symptoms affecting the nervous system in the absence of a physical cause of illness which may appear in reaction to psychological distress.