148 girls from Ikonge PAG Girls Secondary School in Nyamira County were on Wednesday, July 19, rushed to hospital after simultaneously suffering severe stomachaches.

Nyamira North Sub-County Education Director Claire Oyula, who arrived at the institution to assess the situation, noted that the students were taken to different facilities.

Reports indicate that the students fell ill after allegedly consuming contaminated water.

A majority of the students were taken to Ekerengo Hospital for specialised treatment.

It was not clear what caused the water contamination at the public institution with a student population exceeding 330.

Officials from the Ministry of Education were also deployed to the school to offer guidance.

Cases of water and food contamination within schools, mostly boarding, have been on the rise since the beginning of the year with the worst case experienced at Mukumu Girls in Kakamega.