Mysterious Illness Takes Dozens of Lives in Southwestern Part Democratic Republic of Congo
A mysterious illness spreading in the southwestern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo reportedly took at least 79 lives.
More than 380 people have been affected, and children under five are the most at risk. The illness, which causes fever, headaches, coughing, breathing problems, and anemia, is hitting the Panzi region in Kwango Province the hardest.
This area, about 700 kilometers southeast of the capital Kinshasa, has limited healthcare, making it harder to manage the outbreak.
The disease was first noticed on October 24, but authorities only became aware of it in early December. Although the official death count was initially 27, local health workers believe the real number is higher.
Many people are showing symptoms, especially severe respiratory issues, raising concerns about further spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) and local health teams have sent experts to investigate and collect samples for lab testing.
The disease appears to spread through the air, with flu-like symptoms being the most common signs. However, experts are still waiting for lab results to understand it better. Authorities are urging the public to stay calm, avoid large crowds, wash hands regularly, and limit movement to help control the spread.
Since there are no local testing facilities, samples are being sent to a lab in a nearby city.
This outbreak is just one of many health challenges the DRC is facing. The country is also dealing with a major mpox outbreak that has already killed over 1,000 people. The situation in Panzi is especially worrying due to the lack of medical resources and the fast spread of this new disease.
Health teams are closely monitoring the situation, trying to keep the outbreak from getting worse.
In a previous post, 3 Chinese tourists in Aklan suspected symptoms of mysterious disease from China
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