A mysterious disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is spreading mainly among children and endangering severely malnourished people, according to the World Health Organization, which sent experts to the region to investigate the outbreak.
In an update published on Sunday evening, the WHO said that between October 24 and December 5, 406 cases of the undiagnosed disease were recorded, 31 of which were fatal.
Symptoms of the disease, the cause of which has not been established, are fever, headache, cough, runny nose and body aches. It is spreading in the Panzi health zone, in the southwestern Congolese province of Kwango.
All severe cases were severely malnourished and most were children, especially under five years old, according to the WHO.
“The area is rural and remote and access is made even more difficult by the current rainy season,” added the UN health agency. “These challenges, along with limited diagnostics in the region, have delayed identification of the underlying cause.”
According to the statement, malaria is common in the area and could contribute to the cases. Experts say more than one disease may be contributing to the cases.
With information from Reuters.
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