Dominican Republic: Children hospitalised and mass hysteria over 'Charlie Charlie Charlie' game

The latest social media craze, a spirit-calling game known as "CharlieCharlieChallenge," is causing hundreds of teenagers in several countries to be diagnosed with "mass hysteria" and other unusual illnesses.

In the Dominican Republic, several children were reportedly "possessed by Satan" after playing the demonic playground game. According to the Daily Mail, parents at the Juan Pablo Duarte Primary School in the town of Hato Mayor allegedly claimed that their children had been possessed by the devil.

Deputy headmistress Jovita Jimenez told MailOnline: "Three students were absent from class because their parents believed they were possessed by the devil."

According to the Mail, the school is one of many in eastern Dominican Republic that has allegedly been overcome with a "satanic craze." The small nation in the Caribbean is known for its voodoo black magic.

Unexplained bruising in children

Dominican television station Telenoticias reported that the new game has had other mysterious effects on the small community. "The students and parents alike have been terrified," Jimenez said. "Many have appeared with inexplicable bruises on their bodies."

Hato Mayor del Rey Hospital doctor Kelven Guerrero told MailOnline, "It's a craze that has gone too far...It's a very dangerous for a young child to play with contacting the paranormal and diabolical."

"It can cause a great amount to trauma in a young person," he continued. "The entire community had been very disturbed by it. It's caused a lot of discomfort."

He added, "One of the major problems has been that in order to start playing a child must ask permission of Charlie to play. But Charlie also has to give permission for the game to end. There have been many times when he has not done so and it has caused great trauma in the child. It's dangerous for a child to stop playing 'Charlie Charlie' without his permission."

One video from the town, which has since gone viral, showed one student complaining of being unable to sleep because the devil kept bothering him.