Mysterious illness in DRC likely malaria, says Africa CDC #rwanda #RwOT

The announcement came Thursday, as health officials worked to address the outbreak in the remote Panzi region of Kwango Province.

First reported in late October 2024, the illness has caused 37 deaths in health facilities out of nearly 600 recorded cases, with an additional 44 community-level deaths still under investigation.

Symptoms of the illness include fever, headaches, and cough, and the outbreak has particularly affected children under five years old, who account for 40% of the cases.

'The working diagnosis now is malaria,' said Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC's chief of staff, during an online briefing.

He emphasized that the situation has been worsened by severe malnutrition in the area, calling it a critical contributing factor to the high mortality rates.

The Panzi region, located about 700 kilometers southeast of the capital Kinshasa, is difficult to access due to poor infrastructure and the ongoing rainy season. With no functional laboratories in the area, samples must be sent to Kinshasa for testing, delaying confirmation of the diagnosis.

Compounding the challenge is the region's high malnutrition rateâ€"estimated at 61%â€"and a lack of essential resources such as clean drinking water, medicine, and healthcare facilities. These conditions have created a perfect storm for the spread of illness and increased vulnerability among the population.

While malaria is the leading hypothesis, Africa CDC has not ruled out other possibilities, including a viral hemorrhagic fever occurring alongside malaria. Earlier investigations ruled out COVID-19 but concluded that the illness affects the respiratory system.

Health authorities are also considering other potential culprits, such as measles, influenza, or pneumonia, with laboratory testing ongoing to confirm or rule out these diseases.

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has assessed the global risk as low, local risks remain significant due to the proximity of the outbreak to Angola. Cross-border transmission concerns have prompted calls for enhanced coordination between the two nations to prevent further spread.

The DRC has also been grappling with mpox outbreak that has resulted in over 1,000 deaths.

The disease, which surfaced in late October 2024, primarily affects malnourished children under five years old and presents symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and body ache.

Wycliffe Nyamasege

Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/mysterious-illness-in-drc-likely-malaria-says-africa-cdc