A deadly mystery illness is sweeping through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), killing more than 50 people within just hours of symptom onset. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a significant public health threat, as experts race to identify the cause.
Disease spreads at alarming speed
Since January 21, officials have recorded 419 cases and 53 deaths. One area, Bolomba, has an exceptionally high fatality rate, with two-thirds of infected individuals dying.
Doctors believe the outbreak may have started when three children ate a dead bat and died within 48 hours. The illness presents as hemorrhagic fever, with symptoms including fever, bleeding, headaches, and joint pain—raising fears of diseases like Ebola or Marburg.
What is causing the outbreak?
Health officials have tested 13 samples, ruling out Ebola and Marburg. However, some tested positive for malaria, a disease that already affects 30 million people in the DRC annually. WHO warns that disease outbreaks in Africa have surged 60% in the past decade, with many linked to animal-to-human transmission.
Trump’s CDC cuts spark controversy
The outbreak comes amid massive cuts to U.S. public health agencies. President Donald Trump’s executive orders have begun severing ties between the CDC and WHO, reducing international disease monitoring. Meanwhile, new Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. slashed 1,300 jobs at the CDC, including nearly half of its disease detective team.
Risk of global spread?
With DRC’s weak healthcare infrastructure, WHO officials warn that the illness could spread further without urgent intervention. While international risk is currently considered low, previous outbreaks—like last year’s Disease X—have shown how quickly unknown illnesses can escalate.
As scientists scramble for answers, the world watches anxiously, hoping this outbreak won’t become the next global health crisis.
