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Uganda’s ‘Dinga Dinga’ Fever: The Mysterious Illness That Makes People Shake Like They’re Dancing

Updated: Mar 5







A bizarre outbreak in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district has left over 300 people, mostly women and girls, with an unexplained illness that causes them to shake uncontrollably—almost as if they’re dancing. The phenomenon has been locally named “Dinga Dinga”, which translates to “shaking like dancing” in the region’s dialect.


📹 Watch the eerie symptoms unfold: Dinga Dinga Fever Video




What Is ‘Dinga Dinga’ Fever?

First reported in early 2023, the condition has puzzled health officials. Patients experience fever, excessive body tremors, headaches, and mobility issues. Many compare it to the mysterious Dancing Plague of 1518, when people in Strasbourg, France danced uncontrollably for days—sometimes leading to death from exhaustion.


🦠 Is it a new virus? A psychological condition? Or something else entirely? Scientists are racing to find out.


Symptoms of ‘Dinga Dinga’ Fever

  • Fever

  • Headache

  • Cough & runny nose

  • Body aches

  • Severe, uncontrollable shaking (resembles dancing)



The Search for Answers

🔬 Health officials are investigating whether influenza, COVID-19, malaria, or measles could be responsible. Lab results are still pending, and until then, ‘Dinga Dinga’ remains a mystery.

Dr. Kiyita Christopher, Bundibugyo’s District Health Officer, confirmed that no deaths have been reported and that the illness appears to self-heal in most cases. However, he urges locals to seek medical treatment instead of relying on herbal remedies.


🚑 Current Treatment:

  • Antibiotics (despite no confirmed bacterial cause)

  • Symptom management

  • Monitoring by health authorities


Could This Be Another ‘Dancing Plague’?

History has seen unexplained outbreaks of mass involuntary movement before:🕺 1518 Dancing Plague (France): Dozens danced for days, some collapsing from exhaustion.🎭 Tanzanian Laughing Epidemic (1962): A laughing outbreak spread across schools, affecting hundreds.🌍 Mass Hysteria Cases Worldwide: Psychogenic illnesses often strike close-knit communities under stress.



What’s Next?

As Uganda continues to investigate ‘Dinga Dinga’, health experts are working to identify the cause and prevent further cases. Until then, the world watches in fascination—and concern.

Would you be scared or amused if a dancing fever hit your town? Share your thoughts! 💬⬇️


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