Two high schools in Buffalo City had some of their learners experience incidents of apparent mass hysteria.
On Monday, learners at Unathi High School in East London fainted and showed signs of seizures, apparently after heavy thunderstorms passed over the city.
Last week, scholars from the Science College were taken to Frere Hospital after allegedly displaying similar symptoms.
Eastern Cape Education Department spokesperson, Malibongwe Mtima says they activated their Psycho-social support to assist the learners who had fainted.
Meanwhile, Health Department spokesperson, Sizwe Kupelo, says 20 learners were hospitalised.
He says they showed signs of hysteria but their vital signs were normal, some were taken to private health institutions.
East London experienced a freak hailstorm and heavy downpours resulting in flash floods on certain roads.
Mass Hysteria
Psychologists also refer to this as Mass psychogenic illness where a variety of symptoms can spread among a group of people.
According to British psychiatrist, Simon Wessely Mass anxiety hysteria "consists of episodes of acute anxiety, occurring mainly in schoolchildren.
In August of 2009, mass hysteria broke out at several schools in Mthatha, reportedly out of fear of swine flu of which learners, mostly girls, showed symptoms.
