The death toll from suspected water or food poisoning at Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls’ High School has risen to three.

This comes after a Form 4 student who was receiving treatment at Kakamega County Referral Hospital died in the facility’s ICU.

The deceased had reportedly been sick by the time she had gone home for her mid-term break.

According to the deceased’s parents, they unsuccessfully took her to various health institutions for medical attention, but none offered any relief.

Public Health officials in Kakamega County later established the cause of the sickness was food poisoning from preservatives used in the cereals and contaminated spring water.

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Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale claimed a poisonous chemical known as Nova was used for preserving cereals.

"Because of a desire to make sure their cereals are consumed, they use an unscrupulous chemical called Nova to preserve the cereal," Khalwale said.

That ruled out the Cholera angle that had initially taken centre stage in the mysterious ailments and deaths.

About 246 students were hospitalised in the span of a week, and out of that number, 124 of them complained about diarrhoea, vomiting and dizziness, while others exhibited other symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue.

This and the death of one Form 1 and one Form 2 prompted the school’s indefinite closure and a probe into the matter launched

A day after Mukumu Girls’ closure, Butere Boys High School in Kakamega County was closed indefinitely after over 100 students fell ill after exhibiting similar symptoms.