A MYSTERY disease has killed over 50 people and left hundreds sick in northwestern Congo, according to doctors on the ground.
The time from symptom onset to death is just 48 hours in most cases, “which is really worrying,” said Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital.
The latest disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR) began on January 21.
So far, 419 cases have been recorded including 53 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The United Nations agency describes the outbreak as posing “a significant public health threat”.
According to the Africa office, the first outbreak in Boloko, a village in Bolomba health zone, began after three children ate a dead bat.
All cases died within 48 hours following hemorrhagic fever symptoms, a group of illnesses characterised by fever, bleeding, headache, joint pain, and other symptoms.
The illness – believed to have broken out in two separate villages in Équateur province – has a fatality rate of 12.3 per cent, the WHO said, which is around 10 times higher than when Covid first began spreading.
Prof Paul Hunter an expert in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: “What is causing these two clusters is not yet known or indeed whether the same thing is responsible for both.
“It is certainly possible that we have a similar issue to last autumn with malaria and malnutrition.
“But we need to wait the results of ongoing investigations to know the cause.”
There have long been concerns about diseases jumping from animals to humans in places where wild animals are popularly eaten.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=” Malaria No More UK’s campaign film featuring David Beckham” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6363279100112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The number of such outbreaks in Africa has surged by more than 60 per cent in the last decade, the WHO said in 2022.
WHO said two health zones had recorded outbreaks – the Bolomba and Basankusu areas.
In the Basankusu health zone, there had been 419 cases recorded – with 45 tragic deaths.
Whereas in Bolomba health zone there had been 12 cases, and eight deaths – massive two thirds of all its cases.
Officials did not speculate what the mystery illness may be.
However, after the second outbreak of the mystery disease began in the town of Bomate on February 9, officials sent samples from 13 cases for testing.
All samples have been negative for Ebola or other common hemorrhagic fever diseases like Marburg.
Some tested positive for malaria.
Health officials say the remote location of the outbreaks, combined with the country’s “weak health care infrastructure” increase the risk of further spread “requiring immediate high-level intervention to contain the outbreak”.
The fresh outbreaks come just weeks after mystery ‘Disease X’ ravaged the DRC and killed 143 people.
Officials later found it was likely a severe respiratory form of malaria.
Malaria is extremely prevalent in the DRC, affecting 30million residents and killing nearly 25,000 in 2022, according to charity Severe Malaria Observatory.
That year, the DRC recorded the second-most malaria cases in the world behind Nigeria.
The nation has also grappled with an outbreak of Mpox.
The WHO estimates there have been more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths so far.
[boxout headline=”OTHER OUTBREAKS RAVAGING AFRICA” intro=”As of February 2025, several outbreaks are still ongoing across Africa. Here’s a look at where things stand:”]Marburg in Rwanda:
The Marburg outbreak in Rwanda was largely contained by the end of 2024.
However, with new cases popping up in Tanzania, health authorities are staying vigilant, ensuring the virus doesn’t spread further.
Cholera resurgence:
Cholera outbreaks continue to be a major issue, especially in areas where sanitation is poor.
Although vaccination campaigns are underway, the disease remains a significant threat across the continent.
Mpox:
While the mpox outbreak has slowed down in many places, with fewer new cases, it’s still popping up here and there, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The situation is being closely monitored.