A mysterious illness has claimed at least 53 lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Equateur province, with health authorities struggling to identify the cause of two fast-spreading outbreaks in remote villages, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday.
According to a WHO bulletin, 431 cases have been reported as of February 16. The outbreaks occurred in Bomate village in the Basankusu health zone and Boloko village in the Bolomba health zone. Both areas are in the northwest of the vast Central African nation.
“The outbreaks, which have seen cases surge rapidly within days, pose a significant public health threat. The exact cause remains unknown,” said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic.
The larger outbreak was reported on February 13 in Bomate village. It resulted in 45 fatalities among 419 cases. Nearly half of the victims lost their lives within 48 hours of falling ill. Symptoms included fever, pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Tests on 13 samples ruled out Ebola and Marburg viruses. Investigations are ongoing to find other possible causes such as malaria, food poisoning, typhoid, meningitis, or other viral hemorrhagic fevers.
Local health workers face challenges due to limited surveillance and poor healthcare infrastructure. This makes it harder to contain the disease and provide needed care.
An earlier outbreak was reported on January 21 in Boloko village. Eight people lost their lives among 12 cases. Investigations linked this to three children who passed away earlier that month after eating a dead bat.
The children first showed fever and fatigue, which then developed into severe symptoms like nosebleeds and vomiting blood. Similar cases were found in the nearby Dondo village.
Tests on samples from this cluster also ruled out Ebola and Marburg. No links have been found between the two outbreaks.
Jasarevic said WHO is considering whether the illness is from an unknown infection or a toxic substance. “We need to see what can be done and determine when WHO support may be needed,” he said. He noted that past outbreaks of unknown causes in the area were later found to be severe malaria.
Health teams are collecting more samples, improving surveillance, and giving medical care. WHO is working closely with Congolese authorities to manage cases and raise awareness in the community.
The outbreaks have gained international attention. The rapid spread and high death rate have raised fears of a wider public health crisis if the cause is not found soon.
For now, WHO has not issued any travel or trade restrictions related to the outbreaks but has urged neighboring countries to stay alert.