A bizarre illness nicknamed the “dancing disease” has left doctors puzzled as it spreads through Uganda‘s Bundibugyo district, causing uncontrollable shaking in around 300 people – mostly women and girls.
Known locally as “Dinga Dinga” (meaning “shaking like dancing”), the mysterious condition brings on fever and violent tremors that make it nearly impossible for patients to walk normally.
District Health Officer Dr. Kiyita Christopher reports that while the illness remains confined to Bundibugyo, health officials aren’t taking any chances.
They’ve sent samples to the health ministry for thorough analysis to understand what they’re dealing with.
The good news? No deaths so far, and patients typically bounce back within a week with the right antibiotics.
But Dr. Christopher has had to warn locals against turning to traditional herbal remedies, which some have been trying in desperation.
“There is no scientific evidence that herbal medicine can treat this disease,” he stressed, urging residents to seek proper medical care instead.
“We are using specific treatments, and patients usually recover within a week.”
The illness first appeared in early 2023 and continues to baffle medical experts as they investigate its cause.
One recovered patient, Patience Katusiime, described the frightening experience: “I felt weak and got paralysed, with my body shaking uncontrollably whenever I tried to walk,” she recalled.
“It was very disturbing. I was taken to Bundibugyo Hospital for treatment, and thank God, I am now fine.”
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