Mass hysteria in Malawi: nine people were killed on charges of vampirism
Mass hysteria broke out in the Republic of Malawi, Africa. Rumors of vampires have become so widespread that hunters of bloodsuckers resort to violence to protect their communities.
At least nine suspected vampirists have been brutally murdered in Malawi since mid—September, two of them in Blantyre, the second largest city. According to police, both were stoned and one was set on fire. Police have arrested more than 140 lynching suspects.
The Malawian authorities believe that rumors of vampirism have leaked from neighboring Mozambique, where fear of bloodsuckers has led to violence. It is reported that medical workers also became the target of the vigilantes. Vampire hunters view stethoscopes as devices for sucking blood. The Association of Doctors reports that several medical workers were robbed, their vehicles were trashed, and ambulances that transported patients were attacked. The Society of Medical Professionals of Malawi believes that this is a case of mass hysteria that has engulfed the nation.
The president of the society, Dr. Amos Salimanda Nyaka, stated: "The initial incidents may have been of the nature of an induced delusional disorder. The dominant individual who was misled forced those who followed him to accept these misconceptions. The general misconception is usually limited to locality."
"Given the scale of the problem, this represents mass hysteria. Vampires don't exist! This is exclusively mass hysteria," Nyaka added.
James Kaledzera, a spokesman for the Malawi Police, said that police patrols have been activated in particularly dangerous areas and that they are "ready to arrest anyone involved in the murders."
President Peter Mutharika promised to investigate the killings, which he called "a serious problem for the government."
The UN's reaction to the vigilantes' actions was the declaration of several areas of Malawi as "no-go zones".
A similar case of mass hysteria erupted in the area in 2002, when one person was killed and three Catholic priests were attacked after a rumor that the Government of Malawi was cooperating with vampires to collect human blood.