More than 50 people have died due to an unidentified illness in northwestern Congo, health authorities and the World Health Organization reported on Monday.
According to an AP report, since the outbreak began on January 21, a total of 419 people have been infected, resulting in 53 fatalities. Most alarming, according to local doctors, is the rapid progression of symptoms, with victims dying within 48 hours of becoming ill.
The first outbreak occurred in Boloko, where three children died shortly after consuming a bat, displaying symptoms consistent with hemorrhagic fever. The second wave started in Bomate on February 9, prompting health officials to test samples from affected patients.
The tests conducted so far have ruled out Ebola and Marburg viruses, though several patients tested positive for malaria. Congo previously experienced a similar scenario last year, when another mystery illness was later attributed to malaria.
