A yet-to-be named disease has killed 143 people in DR Congo’s southwestern province in November, according to local authorities.
Remy Saki, the deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, provincial minister of health, had both said on Monday that the infected people had suffered flu-like symptoms, including high fever and severe headaches.
At the time of filing this report, a medical team has been dispatched to the Panzi health zone to collect samples and carry out an analysis in a bid to identify the disease.
The situation at this time is worrisome, especially as the number of infected people are still increasing, according to civil society leader, Cephorien Manzanza to Reuters.
Manzanza further expressed worries over the health zone’s lack of adequate supply.
“Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines.” The civil society leader said.
Sick people die in their own homes for lack of treatment, Saki and Yumba further attested.
Meanwhile, a local epidemiologist had said women and children were the most seriously affected group by the disease.
A WHO spokesperson said on Tuesday the UN health agency had been informed to the presence of the disease last week, and it was now working together with Congo’s public health ministry to make further investigations.
More details to come…
