An unidentified illness has claimed the lives of over 50 individuals in northwestern Congo, as reported by both local medical professionals and the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to Serge Ngalebato, the medical director at Bikoro Hospital—a central monitoring facility—the swift progression of the disease is particularly alarming, with most patients succumbing to the illness within 48 hours of displaying symptoms.
The outbreak, which commenced on January 21, has affected 419 people thus far, resulting in 53 fatalities. The initial cases were linked to the town of Boloko, where three children who consumed bat meat exhibited symptoms of a rapid-onset hemorrhagic fever and tragically died soon after. This incident has reignited concerns surrounding zoonotic diseases, which are illnesses that can be transmitted from animals to humans, especially in regions where wildlife is commonly eaten.
The WHO’s Africa office highlighted that the frequency of such outbreaks in the continent has surged by over 60% in the past decade. Following a second wave of this mysterious illness that began in the town of Bomate on February 9, samples from 13 patients have been dispatched to Kinshasa for further examination. Initial tests have ruled out Ebola and other widely recognised hemorrhagic fevers, such as Marburg; however, some samples did show a positive result for malaria.
Previously, another unexplained flu-like condition that emerged in a different region of Congo last year was ultimately linked to malaria as well, indicating the complexities of diagnosing these emerging health threats. The ongoing situation underscores the urgent need for continued surveillance and research to understand the causes and prevent further outbreaks in the future.