Mysterious disease spreads in Democratic of Congo- Many killed, mainly children

Hemavathy M N

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), grappling with a vaccine shortage due to an ongoing Ebola outbreak, now has to deal with a mysterious disease dubbed “Disease X.” With 406 cases reported since October, it has already claimed the lives of 147 individuals, the majority of whom are children, with 42% of the cases being children under 5 years of age.
With symptoms that include fever, headache, cough, and anaemia, experts suspect it may be a respiratory infection. Initial tests suggest the presence of malaria, and definitive results are expected by next week.

The outbreak is centered in the remote Panzi region of Quango Province, which was already weakened by past epidemics of typhoid and ongoing malnutrition. Local healthcare systems, overwhelmed by the rising number of cases, are struggling to provide essential care, such as blood transfusions.

The National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa is unable to get the reports out in time. The samples received on December 7 were poorly preserved, and nasopharyngeal swabs, crucial for diagnosing respiratory infections, weren’t collected. Logistical challenges due to the region’s remoteness and poor road conditions further delayed sample collection by the team by three days.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are working closely with DRC authorities to identify the cause and control the outbreak.
Health authorities are prioritizing high-risk populations, such as prisoners and healthcare workers, in an effort to prevent further spread and are urging the public to remain vigilant. According to CDC Director Jean Kaseya, MD, MPH, DRC has a major public health issue and there is an urgent need for international support to combat both this outbreak and the ongoing Ebola crisis.