Mystery illness kills 50+ in Congo: symptoms, tests, and concerns |

A rapidly spreading and deadly mystery illness has claimed over 50 lives in northwestern Congo in the past five weeks, causing widespread concern among health experts. The disease, which was first detected in three children who ate a bat, has since spread to other villages, infecting at least 419 people and resulting in 53 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The illness causes severe symptoms, including fever, vomiting, internal bleeding, and rapid deterioration, with most victims succumbing to the disease within 48 hours of the first signs of illness. “The rapid progression of symptoms is particularly alarming,” said Serge Ngalebato, medical director at Bikoro Hospital, the regional monitoring center. “The fact that so many people are dying so quickly is very concerning.”

While symptoms align with known hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, Marburg, and yellow fever, the WHO has ruled out these diseases following laboratory tests of more than a dozen samples. As a result, health officials are grappling with the possibility of a previously unknown virus or pathogen. The illness has already begun to spread beyond Boloko, where the outbreak started, reaching nearby villages like Bomate, where another wave of cases was reported on February 9.

The initial case cluster emerged after three children in Boloko village consumed bat meat, which led to their deaths within 48 hours. The WHO has expressed concern about zoonotic diseases, or those transmitted from animals to humans, which remain a significant risk in the region due to the consumption of wild animals. There has been an alarming increase in zoonotic outbreaks across sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, with the WHO reporting a more than 60% rise in such incidents in the last decade.

Health officials are now working urgently to trace the source of the outbreak and prevent further spread. On Tuesday, the WHO confirmed that samples from 13 additional suspected cases have been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, for testing. Researchers are particularly focused on whether the disease could be a new strain of viral hemorrhagic fever or a different, as yet unidentified pathogen.

In the meantime, officials have issued warnings to local communities about the potential dangers of consuming wild animals, including bats, which are known to be carriers of various viruses, including Ebola and the coronavirus. The government has also deployed emergency teams to assist with quarantine efforts and provide medical support in the affected regions.

This outbreak has raised alarms globally, especially given the rapid pace of the illness and the uncertainty around its cause. The WHO and other health organizations are closely monitoring the situation as they await results from ongoing investigations. Experts are concerned that the disease could spread further, both within Congo and potentially beyond its borders, as previous outbreaks of similar diseases have shown a capacity for international transmission.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by emerging infectious diseases in regions with high biodiversity and limited healthcare infrastructure. Experts continue to emphasize the importance of early detection, robust surveillance, and international cooperation in preventing and managing such outbreaks.