Mystery illness kills more than 50 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

An unknown illness has killed more than 50 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to doctors in the country and global health authorities.

The interval between the onset of symptoms and death has been 48 hours in the majority of cases, and "that’s what’s really worrying," Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, a regional monitoring centre, told The Associated Press.

The latest disease outbreak in the northwestern part of the Central African country began on January 21. Since then, 419 cases have been recorded, including 53 deaths.

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Africa office, the first outbreak in the town of Boloko began after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours, following hemorrhagic fever symptoms.

There have long been concerns about diseases jumping from animals to humans in places where wild animals are popularly eaten.

Surge of outbreaks

The number of such outbreaks in Africa has surged by more than 60 per cent in the last decade, the WHO said in 2022.

The second outbreak of the unknown disease began in the town of Bomate on February 9.

Samples from 13 cases have been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in the capital city Kinshasa for testing, the WHO said.

All samples have been negative for Ebola or other common hemorrhagic fever diseases like Marburg. Some tested positive for malaria.

Last year, another mystery flu-like illness that killed dozens of people in another part of the DRC was determined to be likely severe malaria.

The country is also grappling with an mpox outbreak and an ongoing conflict with Rwanda-backed rebels.