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RT screengrab

No-one can explain the bizarre disorder causing this village's residents to fall asleep for days...

“What else do I remember? Nothing. I slept for two days and two nights.”

NEW CASES OF the mysterious disorder known as ‘Sleepy Hollow’ are being reported in a the Kazakhstani village of Kalachi.

RT.com reports that every tenth villager – children included – has has been affected; mysteriously falling asleep in broad daylight, with some not waking for days.

In a report in the English-language Siberian Times last year, milkmaid Marina Felk described how it felt…

“I was milking cows, as usual, early in the morning, and fell asleep. I remember nothing at all, only that when I came round I was in a hospital ward, and the nurses smiled and me, and said: ‘Welcome back sleeping princess, you’ve finally woken up’.

‘What else do I remember? Nothing. I slept for two days and two nights.

“The women in my ward said that I tried to wake up several times, saying I urgently needed to milk my cows.”

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A local official told the Russian Interfax agency the “ninth wave” of the disease was under way, according to RT’s report.

“Yesterday [Sunday] two people – a man and a woman – became sick. Since the outbreak of the disease 120 people have fallen ill.”

The official, Amanbek Kalzhanov, said the situation was under control. Another official said most the villages inhabitants had agreed to move to another area.

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Dozens of experts have visited the area to try and work out what’s causing the mystery disorder, according to an update on the situation in the Siberian Times last month.

One scientist claimed last month that radon gas from a Soviet-era uranium mine nearby was to blame – but that theory was dismissed by radiation expert.

Director of Kazakhstan’s National Nuclear Centre’s Radiation Safety and Ecology Institute Sergei Lukashenko said he was positive radon wasn’t a factor.

“Carbon monoxide is definitely a factor, but I can’t tell you whether this is the main and vital factor.

“The question is why it does not go away. We have some suspicions as the village has a peculiar location and weather patterns frequently force chimney smoke to go down instead of up.”

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It’s reported the problem first emerged as far back as 2010, but that the number of cases really began to accelerate in 2013.

People affected often become dizzy, and have problems with balance and memory.

RT reports that people suffering from the sleeping disorder have been diagnosed with a range of diseases. Children have been treated for toxic encephalopathy (a brain malfunction), while adults have been diagnosed with strokes.

After days in hospital, they usually return to normal – until the symptoms develop again.

Mass psychosis has been put forward as a possible explanation by some doctors.

RT Documentary / YouTube

Read: ‘Jihadi John’ was bullied at school, says his former principal

Read: Video shows police shooting homeless man dead

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29 Comments
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    Mute Tom Fennelly
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:19 AM

    Never knew they could watch Oireachtas Report from RTE in Kazakhstan ?

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:35 AM

    Ara Tis not the worst of them

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    Mute David Fitzpatrick
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 12:14 PM

    EMF poisoning maybe?

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    Mute Eric Davies
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 1:03 PM

    i,m.f poisoning, more likely !

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    Mute Warren Collier
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:56 AM

    The voice of Ireland was being aired globally that day

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    Mute Tom Collins
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:37 AM

    I can see the advert now. Kazakhstan urgently need your help, with just 20 euro we can supply a bed for 2 people

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    Mute Francie Coffey
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:22 AM

    Coincidentally, Kazakhstan has just signed a deal to show re-runs of the Pat Kenny show…

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    Mute Jason
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:34 AM

    I’m surprised that they haven’t blamed the CIA for it.

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    Mute Tom Rand
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:39 AM

    Same sort of thing seems to effect people in Jobstown or Edenmore.

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    Mute trickytrixster
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:54 AM

    You should try upping your trolling,that was pretty pisspoor

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    Mute Tom Rand
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:57 AM

    What’s upping your trolling? Sounds painful first thing of a Tuesday morning.

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    Mute Jon Burkin
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 10:06 AM

    Sometimes the comments are more fun than the story.

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    Mute Resel
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:45 AM

    Hope it comes here… I haven’t slept properly in days.

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    Mute Jeni Moriarty
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:32 AM

    It’s called sleeping beauty syndrome am I the only one here who watched royal pains, annnd House annnd grey’s anatomy I consider myself a diagnostition

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    Mute Vincent O Mahony
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:10 AM

    The cause is not uranium for sure.

    Its certainly not potassium either -

    Kazakhstan has superior potassium. All the other countries have inferior potassium.

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:54 AM

    Russia Today are not exactly known for news integrity

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    Mute trickytrixster
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:53 AM

    Yawn

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    Mute Brian doran
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 6:26 AM

    Slow news day, I read about this in a competitors article about 6 months ago.

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    Mute Neil Hennessy
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:03 AM

    Why are you reading slow news?

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    Mute Tim Kennedy
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 7:21 AM

    Ar’nt you great

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    Mute Donie Keyes
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:15 AM

    Was it 40 days and 40 nights ago by any chance?

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    Mute Micheal S. O' Ceilleachair
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 8:03 AM

    Did the experts fall asleep as well?

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    Mute Atticus the Accuser
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 11:07 AM

    Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

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    Mute David adams
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 10:21 AM

    Send for mulder & scully me thinks?????? The truth is out there

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    Mute Julian King
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 10:20 AM

    Kazzzakhstan

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    Mute BannerBoyDesmond
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 5:52 PM

    Russian military trials of a biological weapon?

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    Mute Will Lankstead
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 4:34 PM

    Pretty obvious I’d say, that it’s some kind of testing being undertaken by either their own Government or a neighbouring country. Probably analysing what it does to a population for warfare uses. Paranoid ? No, judging
    by past dodgy operations carried out against civilians.

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    Mute Terri O'Gorman McCormick
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 9:40 PM

    How can I catch this? Would love two days sleep!

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    Mute Andrew Matheson
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    Mar 3rd 2015, 1:21 PM

    I thought they found the cause to be Radon????

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