A previously unidentified disease with flu-like symptoms has claimed 143 lives in southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kwango province in November, primarily affecting women and children in rural communities.
Health officials report the outbreak emerged in the Panzi health zone, located along Congo’s border with Angola. The illness presents with severe symptoms including high fever, intense headaches, runny nose, respiratory difficulties, and anemia.
Provincial Deputy Governor Remy Saki and Health Minister Apollinaire Yumba confirmed medical teams have been dispatched to collect samples for analysis to identify the pathogen.
The World Health Organization received notification about the disease last week and has initiated collaborative efforts with Congo’s public health ministry to investigate the outbreak. Between November 10 and November 25, officials recorded between 67 and 143 deaths in the region.
Local civil society leader Cephorien Manzanza expressed concern about the growing number of infections. “Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines,” Manzanza said.
According to health officials, at least 376 people have contracted the illness since late October. Limited access to medical facilities in the rural region has resulted in infected individuals succumbing to the disease in their homes.
The outbreak occurs as Congo grapples with other health challenges. The country is currently managing a significant mpox outbreak, which has affected approximately 47,000 people and resulted in over 1,000 suspected deaths.
A new variant of the mpox virus, identified in South Kivu province, has shown increased transmissibility and severity, particularly among children under five years old. The variant has infected 8,772 children in Congo this year, representing more than half of the country’s reported cases.
Health authorities have yet to release data on the total number of suspected infections or hospitalizations related to the new mystery illness. Officials have not disclosed whether patients have tested negative for other common diseases prevalent in the region.
The provincial health minister has advised residents to avoid contact with bodies of the deceased to prevent potential transmission while investigators work to identify the cause of the outbreak.
