DRC on “Maximum Alert” After Mysterious Illness Claims Lives
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has declared a state of “maximum alert” in response to a mysterious illness that has already claimed dozens of lives within just over a month, as reported by the Health Minister on Thursday.
“We are at maximum alert; we consider this situation to be at epidemic levels that necessitate our close monitoring,” emphasized Samuel-Roger Kamba during a press conference in the capital, Kinshasa.
This phenomenon, characterized by health authorities as an “unknown public health event,” is currently concentrated in the Panzi region, located approximately 700 kilometers southeast of Kinshasa. The first cases were identified at the end of October.
“In health centers, we have recorded 27 deaths. Furthermore, following an assessment conducted by the chief medical officer in the community, there are reports of an additional 44 deaths,” the minister clarified, noting that “we cannot immediately attribute these latter cases to the illness since other possible causes exist.”
In this remote area, which is difficult to access due to poorly maintained roads and virtually non-existent healthcare infrastructure, the population is enduring widespread poverty and suffers from a lack of access to clean water and medicine.
The malnutrition rate in this region stands at 61%, particularly among children, making it one of the highest in the country, Kamba pointed out, reminding attendees that the region faced a severe outbreak of typhoid fever two years ago.
According to initial data available, the mysterious illness predominantly affects younger individuals, with 40% of cases involving children under five years old. Symptoms resemble those of influenza, including fever, cough, and headaches.
