Local authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed that an unknown disease has killed 142 people in the country’s southwestern province.
The disease struck between November 10 and November 25, in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province.
Remy Saki, Kwango Province Deputy Governor, and Apollinaire Yumba, provincial minister of health, said infected people presented signs including flu-like symptoms, high fever and severe headaches.
According to Reuters, a medical team has been sent to the Panzi health zone to collect samples and carry out an analysis in order to identify the disease.
Civil Society leader Cephorien Manzanza told the publication that the situation is extremely worrying as the number of infected people continues to rise.
"Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines," Manzanza said.
Saki and Yumba stated that sick people have been dying in their own homes for lack of treatment.
Yumba urged the population to exercise caution and refrain from contact with dead bodies to avoid contamination.
A local epidemiologist said women and children were the most seriously affected by the disease.
A World Health Organisation spokesperson said on Tuesday the UN health agency had been alerted to the presence of the disease, and it was already working alongside Congo's public health ministry to make further investigations.
According to WHO, Congo is already plagued by the Mpox epidemic with more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease.
Mpox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and animals.
Common symptoms of Mpox include skin rash or mucosal lesions lasting two to four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches and back pain.
Mpox is usually mild, and most infected individuals recover within a few weeks without treatment.
The time from exposure to the onset of symptoms ranges from three to seventeen days, and symptoms typically last from two to four weeks.
However, cases may be severe, especially in children and
pregnant women.
