More than 50 people have died in recent weeks in two outbreaks of illness of unknown causes that are being investigated in the northwestern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the This Tuesday (25).
Until February 16, there were 431 cases and 53 deaths recorded in two outbreaks in remote villages in different health zones in Equateur province, according to an WHO bulletin. The country has approximately the size of Western Europe.
“The outbreaks, where cases have multiplied rapidly in a matter of days, represent a threat of significant health. The exact cause remains unknown, ”said WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic in a briefing on Tuesday.
Villages have limited surveillance and sanitary infrastructure abilities, he mentioned.
The biggest outbreak, notified on February 13 at the Bomate village, in the Basankusu Sanitary Zone in Equateur, killed 45 people in 419 cases. Almost half died 48 hours after being sick, according to WHO. Symptoms include fever, pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
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Samples of 13 cases tested negative for Ebola and Marburg, but, according to WHO, health teams were investigating other possible causes, such as malaria, food poisoning, typhoid fever, meningitis or other viral hemorrhagic fever.
An earlier outbreak, with eight deaths in 12 cases, was notified in the Boloko village in the Bolomba sanitary zone on January 12, according to WHO.
The WHO stated that no connection between the two cases of cases was established.
