Mystery Illness in Democratic Republic of Congo Kills Over 50 People

Image credits: NDTV

The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a serious public health threat due to a mysterious illness that has killed over 50 people in just five weeks. The illness, which was first reported after three children ate a bat, has caused 431 cases and 53 deaths in two outbreaks across remote villages in Équateur province, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The symptoms of the illness include fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding, with most patients dying within 48 hours of onset, which is a significant concern for health experts.

The WHO is investigating the outbreaks, but the remote geography and limited healthcare infrastructure are exacerbating response challenges. Researchers have identified "hemorrhagic fever" symptoms in the mysterious illness, which are typically associated with deadly viruses like Ebola, dengue, Marburg, and yellow fever. However, after conducting tests on over a dozen samples, scientists have been able to rule out these known viruses as the cause of the outbreak, leaving the exact origin and nature of the illness still unknown. The WHO said no links had been established between the two clusters of cases, and they are looking into whether it is another infection or whether it is some toxic agent.

The rise of diseases jumping from animals to humans, known as zoonotic diseases, is a growing concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that outbreaks like these have increased by 60% over the last decade. This surge is largely attributed to human activities such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation, which bring people into closer contact with wild animals and their pathogens. In the case of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the weak healthcare infrastructure poses a significant risk of further spread, necessitating immediate high-level intervention to contain the outbreak. The consumption of wild animals, or bushmeat, is a common practice in some regions, which increases the risk of transmission of diseases like Ebola, HIV, and SARS.

Here are some key points about the outbreak: * The outbreak began on January 21, with 419 cases of the illness recorded since * The first recorded case was in the town of Boloko, and began after three children ate a bat and died within 2 days following hemorrhagic fever symptoms * Samples from 13 cases were sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, for testing * All samples tested negative for Ebola or other common hemorrhagic fever diseases * Some samples, however, tested positive for malaria * The symptoms of the illness include fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding * The time of symptoms presenting to the point of death was around 48 hours, which is particularly alarming.

The news comes just weeks after Argentina said it will quit the World Health Organisation, following in the footsteps of Donald Trump’s United States and citing similar complaints over the UN body’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic. The South American country announced its withdrawal from the UN health agency two weeks after Trump, an ideological ally and hero of Milei, signalled Washington’s planned exit. The decision was based on “deep differences regarding health management especially during the pandemic,” and Argentina will not “allow an international body to interfere in our sovereignty.”