Mystery illness claims dozens of lives in Northwestern Congo
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The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began on January 21, with 419 cases recorded, including 53 deaths.
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Cbeca Ndosho Hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Thursday, January 23, 2025 (AP)
A mysterious illness has claimed the lives of more than 50 people in northwestern Congo, according to local doctors and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The disease has progressed rapidly, with most cases resulting in death within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
"That's what's really worrying," said Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, a regional monitoring center, speaking to the Associated Press.
Timeline and investigation
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo began on January 21, with 419 cases recorded, including 53 deaths. The first cases were reported in the town of Boloko, where three children died after consuming a bat, showing symptoms of hemorrhagic fever within 48 hours.
The WHO has long expressed concerns about diseases transmitted from wild animals to humans, especially in regions where wildlife is commonly consumed. In fact, such outbreaks have surged by more than 60% in Africa over the last decade.
Following a second outbreak in the town of Bomate on February 9, 13 samples from infected individuals were sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa for testing. So far, all samples have tested negative for Ebola and other common hemorrhagic fevers like Marburg, although some tested positive for malaria.
Last year, a similar flu-like illness that killed dozens in another part of Congo was likely determined to be malaria.
