Decomposed body of Dengue fever patient found in house in Mombasa

FILE IMAGE OF A POLICE LINE

Police are investigating the death of a man who was suffering from Dengue fever in Mombasa’s Chaani area.

The decomposed body of Julius Oyugi, 55 was found in his house where he lived alone long after he had died. Police said they suspect he died more than three days before the body was discovered on July 14 while seated on the floor and leaning on his sofa set.

A caretaker at the residential houses said he was drawn to the scene by a bad smell before he went to check. He forced the door open where he found the body.

Police were called and moved the body to the mortuary. It emerged the man had been attending a clinic in Port Reitz for Dengue fever. The body was moved to the mortuary pending autopsy.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, caused by the dengue virus. It can range from mild to severe, with severe dengue potentially leading to death.

There is no specific treatment for dengue fever, but supportive care, including hydration and pain relief, is crucial. Preventing mosquito bites is the best way to avoid infection, officials say.

Most people will also get better in one to two weeks. There is a campaign to address the menace in Mombasa at large.

Elsewhere in Chesumei, Nandi County, a body of a man was found in an open pit in a school compound. The body was found in the pit at St. Francis Cheptarit Girls High School.

The decomposing body of the middle-aged male was floating in an open pit within the school farm. Due to the level of decomposition, police officers could not immediately establish whether the body had injuries or not. It is believed that the deceased was an intruder who accidentally or otherwise fell in the unmarked pit.

The body was retrieved from the pit and taken to Nandi Hills sub-county hospital mortuary awaiting identification and autopsy.