At least 53 people They have died In recent weeks in two outbreaks of an unknown disease in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Wednesday. The first victims in one of the affected villages were Children who ate a bat And they died within 48 hours, the Associated Press agency reported.
“Until February 15, 2025, they have been notified A total of 431 cases With 53 deaths “in two sanitary areas of the province of Ecuador – Bolomba and Besankuku – the WHO office for Africa said, with headquarters in Brazzaville, capital of the neighboring Republic of Congo, in a bulletin sent to Efe. The bowling area has registered 12 cases with 8 deaths (lethality rate of 66.7%), while 419 cases with 45 deaths (10.7%lethality rate) have been counted in Basankusu.
“The exact circumstances of exposure (to the disease) They have not yet established themselves in both outbreaks. Besides, No epidemiological ties have been established Among the cases in the two affected sanitary areas, “said WHO. This UN Agency said that” additional metagenomic sequencing and additional investigations are being carried out for Determine the cause of the disease and deaths in the two sanitary areas. “
“We have sent our experts to carry out thorough investigation In order to determine what this disease is, “a WHO spokesman in Brazzaville told Efe, adding that” the investigation is still ongoing. “
Symptoms of the disease
In the Basekuku area, the affected place is the Bomate village, where the outbreak was declared on February 13. The main clinical manifestations include: fever, chills, headache, myalgia, body pain, sweating, rhinorrhea, neck stiffness, cough, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
The samples of 13 cases gave negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses, but WHO said that other possible causes, such as malaria, food poisoning, typhoid fever, meningitis or other viral hemorrhagic fever are investigated.
On January 21, an earlier outbreak was notified, which implied eight deaths between 12 casesthe vast majority in Boloko village, in the bowling area. Preliminary investigations tracked the origin of the outbreak up to three deaths from children under five years old in Boloko between last January 10 and 13.
“The affected children developed fever, headache, diarrhea and fatigue, which then progressed to signs and Hemorrhagic symptomsincluding subconjunctival bleeding, epistaxis and hematemesis, before succumbing to the disease. Reports indicate that children had consumed a Burcielago corpse Before the appearance of signs and symptoms, “said WHO.
Last year, in the province of Kwango (southwest), Another “unknown” disease caused at least 891 cases between the end of November and mid -December, Among them 48 mortals. Those cases, after being analyzed in the laboratory, suggested a combination of seasonal respiratory viruses and malaria Complicated by malnutrition, the WHO concluded in December.
Asked if there is any link between this year’s ailment and that of the previous one, the aforementioned spokesman replied: “The results of the tests They will allow us to know if they are different or not“
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