AUBIN MUKONI/AFP
In the province of Kwango, in the west of the DRC, a disease of unknown origin has caused the death of dozens of people over the past forty days. (illustrative photo)
INTERNATIONAL – The symptoms are similar to those of the flu. In the province of Kwango, in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a disease of unknown origin has caused the death of dozens of people. Local authorities report between 67 and 143 deaths as of December 2. The DRC Ministry of Health gives “at least 79 deaths” to December 4.
According to an official statement issued by the government, the disease has spread in the west of the country, particularly near Panzi hospital in the town of Bukavu, since October 24. Symptoms reported in sick patients include fever, headache, cough, runny nose, difficulty breathing and anemia. (abnormal drop in hemoglobin level in the blood, Editor's note).
Samplings and surveys
“The sick die at home due to lack of treatment,” deplored Tuesday, December 3, the vice-governor of the province, Remy Saki and Apollinaire Yumba, provincial minister of Health, to Reuters. A regional epidemiologist adds that it is mainly women and children who are most seriously affected.
Although nearly 400 cases have already been reported, scientists are currently unable to put a name to this disease and identify its origin. “A team of epidemiology experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem”Remy Saki told the AP agency.
In addition to these samples from patients, the government has announced investigations “extensive field work to identify the nature of this disease”.
The same barrier gestures as during Covid-19
While awaiting the conclusions of the investigation, the Ministry of Health recommends that residents“avoid mass gatherings”of “ wash your hands regularly with soap and water » or even “report any suspicious cases or unusual deaths to local health authorities”. Barrier gestures which had not been put in place since the Covid-19 epidemic 5 years ago.
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Remy Saki, the vice-governor of Kwango, adds to the German wave that the authorities also “asked immigration officials to be able to limit the movements of populations, people who come from surrounding villages (…)”.
In addition to this worrying disease, the Democratic Republic of Congo is by far the country most affected in the world by the mpox epidemic, characterized by skin lesions, such as pustules, high fever and muscle pain. The DRC, which has more than 39,000 cases and has recorded more than 1,000 deaths since the start of the year, launched a vaccination campaign in October “limited”according to the Africa CDC. Only some 51,000 people have been vaccinated out of a population of more than 100 million people.
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