A mysterious flu-like illness has recently claimed the lives of dozens of people in southwest Congo, raising concerns among health officials. Initial laboratory tests on samples from infected individuals suggest that malaria may be the cause of the outbreak. Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, director of the National Institute for Biomedical Research, stated that 9 out of 12 samples tested positive for malaria. However, the quality of these samples was not optimal, and further investigation is underway to determine whether this is a true epidemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO), led by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also confirmed that most samples tested positive for malaria, though there is a possibility that multiple diseases could be involved. As of the latest reports, the disease has affected 416 people, leading to 31 deaths in hospitals, with an additional 44 deaths in the community. The majority of the victims are children under 14 years old, concentrated in the Panzi health zone in western Kwango province, which is difficult to access.
Local residents, like Ezekiel Kasongo, have shared distressing accounts of children falling ill. Kasongo’s 9-year-old son was hospitalized with symptoms including a high fever, headache, and weakness, but after receiving treatment, he was released. Kasongo expressed relief given the high mortality rate, especially among children. The illness exhibits common symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, and anemia. To investigate further, experts from the WHO and Congo’s National Rapid Response Team visited Panzi last week to collect more samples.
The Panzi health zone is particularly challenging for health officials due to its remote location, approximately 435 miles from the capital, Kinshasa. It took the experts two days to reach the area. Due to a lack of local testing facilities, samples had to be transported over 500 kilometers to Kikwit for analysis. This logistical challenge has slowed the response efforts and hindered the ability to confirm the exact nature of the outbreak.
In addition to the disease itself, the region faces broader health challenges, including high levels of malnutrition and low vaccination coverage. These conditions leave children particularly vulnerable to infections such as malaria. The area had previously experienced an epidemic of typhoid fever two years ago, and a seasonal flu outbreak is also occurring across the country. These compounding health issues make it more difficult for the local population to cope with the ongoing crisis.
