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LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of the Congo — An unidentified disease has taken the lives of 143 people in November in the southwestern province of Kwango, Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local officials.
The outbreak, described as alarming, is marked by flu-like symptoms, including high fever and severe headaches, stated Remy Saki, deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, the provincial health minister, on Monday.
A medical team has been dispatched to the Panzi health zone, the epicenter of the outbreak, to collect samples and conduct laboratory analysis in an effort to identify the mysterious disease.
“The situation is extremely worrying as the number of infected people continues to rise,” warned Cephorien Manzanza, a civil society leader in the region. He highlighted the challenges faced by rural areas like Panzi, including a critical shortage of medical supplies and resources.
Due to limited healthcare infrastructure, many patients succumb to the illness at home without receiving adequate treatment, Saki and Yumba noted. Women and children appear to be disproportionately affected by the outbreak, according to a local epidemiologist.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday that it had been alerted to the outbreak last week and is collaborating with Congo’s Ministry of Public Health to investigate the disease.
Efforts to contain the outbreak face logistical hurdles due to the remoteness of the affected area and the urgent need for medical supplies and support.
As health authorities rush to uncover the nature of the disease, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, underscoring the pressing need for robust responses to public health emergencies in vulnerable regions.
