An unknown illness in northwestern Congo has resulted in over 50 fatalities since January 21, prompting investigations by the World Health Organization. The outbreak, believed to have begun after three children consumed bat meat, has led to 419 recorded cases, with a worrying 48-hour mortality period post-symptom onset. Although samples have been tested, all returned negative for common hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Marburg, with some showing malaria. The rise of zoonotic diseases in Africa has been alarming, increasing by over 60% in the last decade, according to the WHO.
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.
The first outbreak in the town of Boloko began after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours.
The number of such outbreaks in Africa has surged by more than 60% in the last decade, the WHO said in 2022.
Some samples tested positive for malaria, but all samples were negative for Ebola and other common hemorrhagic fever diseases.
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