The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that a complex interplay of influenza, Covid-19, various viral respiratory infections, malaria, and acute malnutrition is likely responsible for what was initially labeled a ‘mystery disease’ in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the WHO, nearly 900 individuals have fallen ill, with 48 reported fatalities, predominantly among children under the age of five.
“This event highlights the severe burden from common infectious diseases (acute respiratory infections and malaria) in a context of vulnerable populations facing food insecurity,” stated the WHO. The organization has called for enhanced access to healthcare and nutritional resources to combat the escalating malnutrition crisis in the area.
Why it matters: An uptick in mortality rates in the western DRC locale of Panzi prompted alarms from both national and international health authorities earlier this month, raising concerns over the emergence of a potentially unknown pathogen in a region characterized by limited healthcare access.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, grappling with high poverty levels, rampant malnutrition, and ongoing armed conflicts in various regions—including Panzi—is also contending with its most severe outbreak of mpox, a rash-inducing virus, as well as measles and other health crises.
Challenges in infrastructure have hampered DRC authorities’ efforts to trace the outbreak’s origins in Panzi and have impeded affected individuals from receiving necessary medical care.
“Stock-outs of medications for treating common diseases frequently occur, and care is not provided free of charge, which could limit access to treatment for vulnerable populations and increase severity and mortality of known and treatable infections,” the WHO elaborated.
What’s next: The WHO indicated that local and global health experts are actively monitoring the situation.
The organization emphasized that the public health risk for the affected community remains high, necessitating an integrated approach to reduce mortality from infections, enhance nutrition, and strengthen malaria control efforts, among other interventions.
However, the risk of similar cases spreading to national, regional, and global levels is deemed low, according to the WHO.
