Health officials investigate mystery disease in southwest Congo after 143 deaths

A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said.

The deaths were recorded between November 10 and November 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough and anaemia, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told reporters over the weekend.

The deputy provincial governor, Rémy Saki, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that between 67 and 143 people had died.

“A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” he added.

Yumba advised the population to exercise caution and refrain from contact with dead bodies to avoid contamination. He called on national and international partners to send medical supplies to deal with the health crisis.

Congo is already plagued by the mpox epidemic, with more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease in the Central African country, according to the World Health Organisation.

WHO is aware of the unidentified disease and has a team on the ground working with local health services to collect samples, according to an organisation employee who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to talk to the media.