In November, a previously unidentified disease exhibiting symptoms akin to the flu led to the deaths of 143 people in the Kwango province of the southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily in rural areas among women and children.
According to health officials, the disease outbreak started in the Panzi health zone, situated on the Congo-Angola border. The sickness is characterized by severe symptoms such as high fever, intensive headaches, nasal congestion, breathing problems, and anemia.
Remy Saki, the Provincial Deputy Governor, and Health Minister Apollinaire Yumba affirmed that medical teams have been dispatched to gather samples for analysis to pinpoint the pathogen.
The World Health Organization (WHO) was recently alerted about the disease and has started working in conjunction with the public health ministry of Congo to scrutinize the outbreak. Between November 10 and 25, officials documented 67 to 143 fatalities in the region.
Cephorien Manzanza, a local civil society leader, voiced concerns over the increasing number of infections. “Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines,” Manzanza stated.
Health officials stated that since late October, at least 376 individuals have been infected with the disease. Due to the limited access to medical facilities in these rural regions, infected individuals often succumb to the illness at home.
Meanwhile, Congo is also dealing with other health crises. A significant mpox outbreak is currently affecting the country, with an estimated 47,000 infections and over 1,000 suspected deaths.
A new variant of the mpox virus, discovered in South Kivu province, has demonstrated increased transmission and severity, particularly affecting children under five years old. This variant has infected at least 8,772 children in Congo this year, accounting for more than half of the country’s reported cases.
Health authorities have not yet disclosed data on the total suspected cases or hospitalizations related to this new mysterious illness. It remains unknown whether patients have tested negative for other common diseases prevalent in the region.
Residents have been advised by the provincial health minister to avoid contact with the bodies of the deceased to curtail potential transmission, while investigators are working to identify the cause of the outbreak.