The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that more than 50 people have died in recent weeks in two outbreaks of a mysterious illness in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to a WHO bulletin, as of February 16, a total of 431 cases and 53 deaths have been recorded in remote villages across two separate health zones in Equateur province. The exact cause of the illness remains unknown.
“The outbreaks, which have seen cases rise rapidly within days, pose a significant public health threat. The exact cause remains unknown,” WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said during a briefing on Tuesday. He also noted that the affected villages have limited healthcare infrastructure and surveillance capacity.
The larger outbreak was first reported on February 13 in Bomate village, located in the Basankusu health zone. It has resulted in 419 cases and 45 deaths, with nearly half of the fatalities occurring within 48 hours of symptom onset. Reported symptoms include fever, pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
So far, samples from 13 cases have tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses. However, health teams on the ground are investigating other possible causes, including malaria, food poisoning, typhoid, meningitis, or another viral hemorrhagic fever, the WHO said.
The earlier outbreak, which emerged in Boloko village in Bolomba health zone, was reported on January 21. It involved 12 cases and eight deaths, tracing back to three fatalities among children under five earlier in the month. Symptoms initially included fever and fatigue but later progressed to severe bleeding, such as nosebleeds and vomiting blood.
