KINSHASA, Congo — The health minister of Congo announced on Thursday that the government has heightened its response to a mysterious flu-like illness that has recently led to the deaths of dozens of individuals, with almost half of the victims being children.
So far, officials have reported a total of 71 fatalities related to the illness, with 27 individuals passing away in medical facilities and 44 in community settings within the southern Kwango province, as detailed by health minister Roger Kamba.
“The Congolese government is taking this disease very seriously and is on general alert,” Kamba stated, although he did not elaborate further on the circumstances surrounding the outbreak.
Among the deceased in hospitals, reports indicated that 10 individuals died due to a lack of blood transfusions, while 17 others succumbed to respiratory complications, according to Kamba.
The symptoms attributed to the disease include fever, headaches, coughing, and signs of anemia. To better understand the situation, epidemiological experts have been deployed to the affected regions to collect samples and carry out investigations, as noted by the health minister.
Congo is additionally grappling with an ongoing mpox outbreak, with over 47,000 suspected cases and more than 1,000 suspected deaths attributed to the illness, as reported by the World Health Organization.
