An unknown disease killed 143 people in the southwestern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo in November: they had flu-like symptoms, including high fever and severe headaches. The area in which the epidemic developed was circumscribed by a sanitary cordon: the movements of the population were limited and the inhabitants were asked to wear a protective mask.
Remy Saki, deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, provincial health minister, explained that a medical team was sent to the Panzi health zone to collect samples and carry out an analysis to identify the disease.
Among the symptoms similar to flu such as fever, headache, cold and cough, breathing difficulties, there is also severe anemia, a abnormal drop in the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
WHO envoys on site
The epidemic began at the end of October: on October 24, the death of 79 people – most of them teenagers – had already been recorded out of 376 people found to be infected. The situation is extremely worrying as the number of infected people continues to increase, civil society leader Cephorien Manzanza told international news agencies. “Panzi is a rural health area, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines,” Manzanza said. “Sick people die in their homes for lack of care.”
A WHO spokesperson said Tuesday that the U.N. health agency had been alerted to the presence of the disease last week and was working together with Congo’s public health ministry to carry out further investigations. A local epidemiologist said women and children were most severely affected by the disease. Meanwhile, the population has been advised not to touch the corpses.
Over the past 30 years, more than 30 new emerging infectious diseases have been reported worldwide, and Africa records around 100 serious public health events each year.