In October 2019, 68 students at the Starehe Girls Centre in Kenya were isolated with an unknown disease, showing symptoms of a high-pitched cough, sneezing, and low-grade fever. The school was shut down, but specimens collected from the students showed only two cases of rhinovirus, the common cold. A team of mental health specialists concluded that the 'mysterious' disease was a case of mass hysteria, highlighting the vulnerability of school communities to psychogenic illness.

The Starehe Girls Centre hysteria has been cited in psychological and sociological studies as an example of mass psychogenic illness in a school setting. The event has inspired writers to explore the dynamics of fear and the power of suggestion among young people, and it has been referenced in works that examine the psychology of groups and the role of stress in triggering collective behavior. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of public health communication in managing outbreaks of mass hysteria.