As the world continues to recover from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a looming threat has emerged in Africa claiming nearly 150 lives. Health officials, including those from the WHO, are investing the mysterious illness with flu-like symptoms that killed dozens of people in southwest Congo.
The still unidentified illness, presenting with symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, and anemia, resulted in approximately 143 fatalities over two weeks in November in the Panzi health zone of Congo's Kwango province, according to deputy provincial governor Rémy Saki.
A health team from WHO is on the ground working with local health officials to investigate the disease. "We have dispatched a team to the remote area to collect samples for lab investigations," WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević said, as reported by NBC News.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which maintains an office in Congo is also offering technical support to a rapid response team sent by the local emergency operations center.
However, the situation remains worrisome as infections continue to rise. In Panzi, a rural area, many people have died at home without receiving medications and proper treatment, local officials reported.
Health officials are urging communities to report any suspicious illnesses or unexplained deaths immediately. They recommend avoiding direct contact with the remains of deceased individuals who had symptoms, with only authorized health authorities handling such cases.
Meanwhile, the public is asked to steer clear of mass gatherings and to prioritize basic hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing with soap and water.
Although rising infection rates of an unknown illness can be worrisome, health experts like Anne Rimoin, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, stress the importance of staying calm.
"I think it's really important to be aware of what's happening, and I think it's also really important not to panic until we have more information," Rimoin, who has worked in Congo since 2002 told NBC News.
"It could be anything. It could be influenza, it could be Ebola, it could be Marburg, it could be meningitis, it could be measles. At this point, we really just don't know," she added.
