logo
Mystery illness in DR Congo could be malaria

Mystery illness in DR Congo could be malaria

Russia Today28-02-2025

A disease outbreak in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has killed at least 50 people and affected around 1,000, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a local official. Health officials suspect malaria or food poisoning as the cause of the illness, which has been reported in Equateur province.
Dieudonne Mwamba, the director general of the National Institute of Public Health, told the news agency that 52 deaths and 943 infections have been recorded in Equateur so far.
The World Health Organization (WHO), in a separate statement, reported 1,096 suspected cases and 60 deaths. Patients have shown symptoms including fever, vomiting, weight loss, and fatigue.
'For now, our diagnosis is malaria, and we also suspect food poisoning,' Mwamba stated. He explained that affected children had consumed bushmeat, which could be linked to the outbreak.
Doctors have ruled out known viruses such as Ebola, Marburg, yellow fever, and dengue after testing more than a dozen samples. The WHO said additional tests are being conducted to determine if other diseases, including typhoid fever, meningitis, or viral hemorrhagic fevers, could be responsible.
Medical director Serge Ngalebato of Bikoro Hospital, a key monitoring center in the region, told AP that the most alarming aspect of the outbreak is the rapid progression of symptoms. The interval between the onset of symptoms and death has been 48 hours in most cases, and 'that's what's really worrying,' he said.
The DR Congo has been identified as the epicenter of a severe outbreak of the Mpox virus, formerly known as monkeypox, with over 2,000 new suspected cases weekly, according to the WHO.
In December, the former Belgian colony's Health Ministry identified a previously unknown disease that had spread in the southwestern Kwango province as a severe form of malaria. The illness, which causes fever, headache, coughing, runny nose, and body ache, claimed 143 lives in November.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Russian support crucial in preventing Ebola spread
Russian support crucial in preventing Ebola spread

Russia Today

timea day ago

  • Russia Today

Russian support crucial in preventing Ebola spread

Uganda managed to stop a recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus thanks to cooperation with Russian partners, a Health Ministry official from the east African country said on Tuesday, according to the Russian public health agency Rospotrebnadzor. Speaking at the 5th International 'Scientific and Practical Conference Global Threats to Biological Security: Problems and Solutions' held in Sochi, Dr. Diana Atwine, Uganda's permanent secretary at the Health Ministry, emphasized that the successful efforts to halt the cross-border transmission of Ebola were made possible 'thanks to joint efforts with our Russian partners, swift containment, and targeted interventions.' Atwine also underscored the ongoing global risks posed by emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. 'The scale and intensity of these outbreaks have increased, driven by multiple factors related to both national and global dynamics,' she warned. Uganda officially declared a new Ebola outbreak on January 30, after a 32-year-old nurse at Mulago National Referral Hospital died from multiple organ failure. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 14 cases ended up being reported: 12 confirmed and two probable, with four deaths. The last confirmed patient was discharged on March 14. In response to the outbreak, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced in February the allocation of an additional $2 million to support Uganda's containment efforts. Rospotrebnadzor confirmed in January it had offered its support to Uganda in conducting an epidemiological investigation and deploying anti-epidemic measures. The agency also delivered a mobile laboratory to the country in 2024, aimed at facilitating the rapid diagnosis of severe infectious diseases. Ebola, a highly contagious hemorrhagic fever, is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or tissue. Symptoms often include high fever, fatigue, headaches, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, and internal or external bleeding. On the sidelines of the same conference in Sochi, Rospotrebnadzor head Anna Popova held bilateral talks with Burundi's minister of health, Liduine Baradahana. The officials reviewed ongoing collaboration in the area of infectious disease management and biosafety development. Two of Burundi's three Biosafety Level 3 laboratories – equipped to detect and study hazardous pathogens – were established with Russian assistance, the agency said. This includes a mobile laboratory transferred in 2024. Baradahana acknowledged the contributions of Russian scientists in responding to a recent monkeypox outbreak, emphasizing that their support enabled Burundi to implement 'effective diagnostic capabilities for the infection.'

WHO rehearses deadly ‘mammothpox' outbreak
WHO rehearses deadly ‘mammothpox' outbreak

Russia Today

time15-04-2025

  • Russia Today

WHO rehearses deadly ‘mammothpox' outbreak

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently rehearsed a scenario in which an ancient virus lying dormant in the remains of a woolly mammoth caused a deadly global outbreak of 'mammothpox,' The Telegraph has reported, citing documents about the exercise it had obtained. The press release by the global health authority stated that earlier this month more than 15 countries took part in Exercise Polaris, which 'simulated an outbreak of a fictional virus spreading across the world,' aiming to test readiness for a new pandemic. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned earlier this month that a new pandemic 'could happen in 20 years or more, or it could happen tomorrow,' describing it as an 'epidemiological certainty.' The exercise reportedly simulated an outbreak of 'Mammothpox,' a fictional virus similar to smallpox, a disease with a 30% mortality rate that was eradicated in 1980, and mpox, a dangerous variant of which is currently surging across central Africa. READ MORE: US company wants to 'resurrect' mammoths According to the scenario, the virus was released after a team of scientists and documentary filmmakers excavated the remains of a woolly mammoth in the Arctic. Within weeks, intensive care units across the world were 'overwhelmed' and health systems were struggling to cope. Although the countries involved in the exercise were able to contain the fictional virus, a real outbreak would prove much more complicated, the WHO acknowledged. The agency's briefing document reportedly stated that 'ancient viruses can remain viable in permafrost for thousands of years,' and the thawing of the permafrost in the Arctic due to climate change may cause a 'release of pathogens previously unknown to modern medicine.' Taking advantage of the warmer temperatures, scientists and ivory hunters are digging for ancient remains in the Arctic, including those of woolly mammoths, The Telegraph noted. Many ivory hunters reportedly carry out the excavations without taking adequate health precautions. READ MORE: Scientists learn cause of killer outbreak in Congo Scientists have also been studying ancient samples, with researchers working on bringing to life 'zombie viruses' found alongside frozen animal remains, which could potentially be deadly to humans. A virus revived by French scientist Jean-Michel Claverie in 2023 was 48,500 years old, based on radiocarbon dating.

Africa sees drop in maternal and newborn deaths
Africa sees drop in maternal and newborn deaths

Russia Today

time09-04-2025

  • Russia Today

Africa sees drop in maternal and newborn deaths

The maternal and newborn mortality rates in Africa have dropped since 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday. Between 2000 and 2020, maternal deaths in the African region decreased by 40%, from 727 to 442 per 100,000 live births, according to the UN's agency. However, the pace of this decline is still insufficient to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. According to the data, over 60% of countries in Africa now report that more than 80% of births are attended by skilled health workers, up from 28% in 2010. Despite this progress, significant gaps remain in rural and crisis-affected areas across the region. 'Key barriers to progress include inadequate financing, weak governance, health workforce shortages and recurring shocks, such as disease outbreaks and conflicts, all of which disrupt maternal and child health services. In fragile and crisis-affected settings, women and children are particularly at risk,' the WHO stressed. READ MORE: The West's dirty secret: How most affluent nations poison the Global South The region still accounts for 70% of the world's recorded deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth, with an estimated 178,000 maternal deaths and 1 million newborn fatalities occurring annually in Africa. The agency identifies several factors contributing to maternal deaths, including severe bleeding, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, complications from delivery, and unsafe abortions. Newborn deaths are often caused by preterm birth, complications during delivery, and infections. Many of these deaths are preventable with timely interventions. The WHO emphasizes the need for accelerated efforts to improve maternal and newborn health in Africa. 'In too many places, pregnancy and childbirth are still life-threatening events ... Every dollar invested in maternal and newborn health delivers major returns: healthier families, stronger societies and sustainable economic growth,' Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa said. READ MORE: WHO increases support for Ebola crisis The Guardian cited a warning by UNISEF director Catherine Russell that global funding cuts to health services are endangering more pregnant women, particularly in vulnerable areas, by restricting access to essential care. She stressed the need for investment 'in midwives, nurses and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store