Disease Fatal To 20 Baffles Hondurans

Health authorities have alerted hospitals nationwide of an outbreak of a mysterious disease that has killed 20 children, a health official said Monday.

Anibal Funez, director general of Public Health, said the symptoms of the “strange disease,” which has killed children up to 2 years old, include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and bleeding of the lungs.

“In view of this pathetic situation, the government is worried,” Funez said.

Yellow fever and cholera have been ruled out, as has leptospirosis, which killed four people in southern Honduras earlier this year, he said.