The spectre of a mysterious flu-like illness, labelled “Disease X,” is spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dispatched a rapid response team to help investigate the situation.
So far, more than 400 cases have been reported, with over 30 confirmed deaths. The fatality rate is above 7 per cent. According to reports from Congo, the disease manifests with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, cough, and body aches. It primarily affects children under five years old, with more than 52 per cent of those affected belonging to this age group. The second-largest group of patients consists of individuals aged over 25, making up nearly 30 per cent of cases. Difficulty in breathing is also a major symptom of the illness.
Health experts have not yet determined whether the disease is viral or bacterial. Some experts believe that the illness is more likely to be a known disease rather than a completely new one, but the exact cause remains unknown. The WHO also suspects that the unidentified disease will likely have an existing, known origin.
Based on the symptoms, possible causes being considered include acute pneumonia, influenza, Covid-19, measles, and malaria. Additionally, some experts suggest that the outbreak could result from a mix of diseases, including mosquito-borne infections such as dengue, chikungunya, and malaria.
The outbreak is primarily concentrated in a remote rural area of Kwango province, which has poor connectivity. Heavy rainfall in the region further complicates matters, making it difficult to travel from Kinshasa to the affected area—a journey that can take nearly 48 hours.
The accessibility issues in the region have hindered efforts to confirm fatalities linked to the illness. Many severe cases involve individuals suffering from extreme malnutrition, which complicates the process of identifying the source of the infection.
According to the WHO, these challenges, along with the limited availability of diagnostic tools in the region, have delayed the identification of the underlying cause of the outbreak.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has deployed a multidisciplinary team to support the WHO and the Congo government’s ongoing investigation to identify the root cause of the illness.
According to the WHO, laboratory tests are currently being conducted to determine the exact cause of the disease.
Reportedly, diagnostic tests and disease control measures are being implemented with the anticipation that multiple diseases could be responsible for the infections.
