Mystery Illness in Congo Kills Over 50 People After Children Eat Bat

Image credits: (AP Graphic)

The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a mysterious disease outbreak that has killed 53 people in the past five weeks, with the World Health Organization (WHO) investigating the cause of the illness. The outbreak began on January 21, with 431 recorded cases and over 50 deaths, and has now spread across remote villages near the equator line in countries such as Chad, Angola, the United Republic of Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Sudan. The illness is characterized by symptoms including fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding, which are commonly referred to as hemorrhagic fever.

The WHO has reported that the outbreak originated in the village of Boloko, where three children who ate a bat died within 48 hours of contracting the illness. The medical director of Bikoro Hospital, Serge Ngalebato, has expressed concern over the short interval between the onset of symptoms and death, stating that this is what's really worrying. The symptoms of the illness are similar to those of known deadly viruses such as Ebola, dengue, Marburg, and yellow fever, but researchers have ruled out these illnesses based on tests of over a dozen samples collected so far.

The WHO has noted that the number of diseases caused by the jump between wild animals and humans in places where wild animals are consumed has risen to 60 per cent. In the last 30 years, 75 per cent of new pathogens discovered were reported to come from animals. The organization has stated that one of the reasons for this increase is the frequent interaction between animals and humans as a result of increasing human activity in stressed ecosystems. The WHO has also reported that an illness similar to the flu in the Congo's Kwango province was determined to be severe malaria, called acute respiratory infections complicated by malaria, which killed 143 people in the Panzi health zone.

A timeline of the events surrounding the outbreak is as follows: * January 21: The outbreak begins in the village of Boloko, with three children who ate a bat dying within 48 hours. * February 9: A second outbreak of the mystery disease begins in the village of Bomate, with samples from 13 cases sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa for testing. * February 9: The WHO reports that all samples tested negative for common hemorrhagic fever diseases, although some tested positive for malaria. The WHO has stated that the outbreaks pose a significant public health threat, and the exact cause of the illness remains unknown. The organization is working to investigate the cause of the outbreak and prevent further spread of the disease.

The situation is being closely monitored by the WHO, and the organization is working with local health authorities to respond to the outbreak. The WHO has also noted that the outbreak highlights the need for increased awareness and education about the risks of diseases jumping from animals to humans, particularly in areas where wild animals are consumed. As the investigation into the cause of the illness continues, the WHO is urging people to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease, including avoiding contact with wild animals and practicing good hygiene.