Mystery illness kills at least six in Panama

PANAMA CITY, Oct 3 (Reuters) Panama's Health Ministry today declared a national epidemic alert after a mystery illness killed at least six people and left others suffering with fever, diarrhea and partial paralysis.

Doctors do not know the cause but say the disease progresses rapidly to the renal system and causes neurological damage. Another six people may have died from it in the last month.

''These symptoms are completely unusual, and have not been detected before in our country,'' Panama's health director, Cirilo Lawson, told Reuters.

Ten more people have been stricken but survived.

Doctors in the central Panama and Cocle provinces are taking samples from the affected people and seeking advice from abroad.

Reuters SBA VP0320