A MYSTERIOUS flu-like illness that’s spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has caused at least 31 deaths – and two diseases could be to blame, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.
The unidentified disease, which the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is calling ‘Disease X’, has infected 406 people in recent weeks, with the majority of cases recorded in the Kwango Province, approximately 435 miles southeast of the capital Kinshasa.
More than half of the 31 people who have died were children under the age of 5 who were severely malnourished, the WHO said in a statement on Sunday.
The actual number of deaths, which are occurring in the remote Panzi region, is difficult to determine, with some reports saying as many as 143 have died.
A team of scientists from the WHO are currently on the ground investigation the illness that’s believed to have started circulating in October.
Samples are being collected for laboratory testing to provide a more detailed characterisation of the illness, to find out the transmission dynamics, and to actively find additional cases.
But WHO officials have said they’ve struggled to uncover the origin of the pathogen.
Because the outbreak is in a remote area with poor road conditions and there’s been heavy rain, it took the WHO’s team around two days to get there.
It’s also been harder to trace the exact source of ‘Disease X’ as the most serious cases of the illness have also involved the patient suffering from severe malnutrition.
“These challenges, coupled with limited diagnostics in the region, have delayed the identification of the underlying cause,” the WHO said.
The WHO’s initial findings suggest the deaths might be related to other diseases currently spreading in the south west of the DRC.
“Given the clinical presentation and symptoms reported, and a number of associated deaths, acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles and malaria are being considered as potential casual factors with malnutrition as a contributing factor,” the WHO said.
Another common disease in the area it said may be causing or contributing to cases is malaria – a life-threatening disease transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The likelihood of ‘Disease X’ spreading to Europe
According to Dr Bruno Silvester Lopes, lecturer in microbiology at Teesside University, there’s no cause for widespread concern at this stage.
The only way for a virus of this nature to spread to Europe is if an infected individual were to travel to the region and act as an index case.
He explained: “The likelihood of a virus from the DRC reaching the UK depends on multiple factors, including its transmission mode and global travel patterns.
“Currently, no direct evidence suggests a high probability of significant outbreaks from recent DRC-related cases or other emerging infections spreading globally.
“However, monitoring is essential as outbreaks in the DRC often involve regions with limited healthcare infrastructure, which can amplify disease spread if containment measures are not implemented effectively.”
Symptoms of the mysterious illness
Doctors have said the disease, which has killed at least 31 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, presents much like a respiratory infection.
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Body aches
Concerns first raised in October
An alert was sent to WHO on October 29 by the DRC’s Ministry of Public Health raising concerns over a mysterious illness that had caused “increased” deaths.
In a press briefing on December 5, the WHO said the mortality rate was about 8 per cent and that several deaths had been reported outside health facilities.
The WHO said malaria may also be contributing to the cases[/caption]
Democratic Republic of Congo’s health minister Roger Kamba attends a press conference in Kinshasa, Congo[/caption]
