Mystery disease kills more than 50 in DRC: What we know so far

Health workers wearing protective suits take their shift at a treatment centre in Beni, DRC amid an Ebola outbreak, July 13, 2019, [Jerome Delay/AP]

A mysterious viral disease has emerged in parts of western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in recent weeks, resulting in at least 53 deaths, officials say.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), clinicians are particularly concerned about the short period between the onset of what appear to be symptoms of a “hemorrhagic fever” and death – around just 48 hours – prompting fears that there could be a high number of deaths if the outbreak continues.