Mystery flu-like disease that’s killed 71 people is targeting children warn officials – plus four symptoms to spot
According to the health minister of Congo, a mystery flu-like disease has killed over 70 people, nearly half of whom were children.
The respiratory issues experienced by those affected indicate that a respiratory bug is the cause of the illness.
All of the fatalities occurred in the Panzi health zone in Kwango province between November 10 and November 25, a span of under two weeks.
During a press conference today, Health Minister Roger Kamba assured reporters that local officials have confirmed 382 cases and 71 deaths thus far.
According to Roger, among those who passed away in hospitals, 17 perished from respiratory difficulties and 10 died from a shortage of blood transfusions.
He listed fever, headache, cough, and anemia as symptoms.
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He said that breathing was a problem for several adults and children who passed away.
To gather samples and look into the illness, epidemiological specialists have traveled to the area.
Yesterday, Apollinaire Yumba, a local official, gave a startling warning to people not to touch the bodies of their deceased loved ones since doing so could contaminate them.
In order to address the developing catastrophe, he issued a frantic appeal for medical supplies and outside assistance.
The scenario was described as “extremely worrying” by Cephorien Manzanza, a leader of civic society.
Manzanza told Reuters that because Panzi is a rural health zone, the availability of medications is an issue.
+++ LEGAL REMOVAL +++ Inside makeshift mpox isolation wards where hundreds of feverish patients fill the floors as desperate medics grapple life-threatening drug shortages
According to a WHO representative on Tuesday, the disease’s existence was reported to the UN health organization last week.
Additionally, it stated that it was collaborating with the public health ministry of the Democratic Republic of Congo to do additional research.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared a global public health emergency due to an epidemic of an extremely lethal form of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
During an initial epidemic this year, the highly contagious disease sickened 13,700 people and killed at least 500.
Additionally, a fatal Ebola outbreak in Congo in 2019 that claimed over 1,600 lives was deemed a worldwide health emergency.
Following the discovery of a viral case in a city with a population of two million, the WHO at the time verified the crisis.
Four symptoms of the mystery flu-like bug
Dozens of individuals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have died from an enigmatic illness that resembles the flu.
As of right now, we are aware that some of the symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Anaemia
- Difficulty breathing
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