Mysterious Disease Is Killing Dozens in Congo, Including Children — and Some Die Within 48 Hours

Mar. 15, 2025

CBCA Virunga Hospital in Goma.Photo:MICHEL LUNANGA/AFP via Getty

MICHEL LUNANGA/AFP via Getty

An unknown illness is killing people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The latest outbreak began on Jan. 21, with 419 people reportedly infected and 53 dead.

“This marks the second cluster of cases and deaths from an unknown disease in the province in less than a month,” said a weekly bulletin from theWorld Health Organization’sAfrican Region. According to the office, the first outbreak in Boloko Village began after three children ate a bat carcass. They died within 48 hours.

“That’s what’s really worrying,” Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, said of the symptom-to-death time period, perAssociated Press.

CBCA Virunga Hospital in Goma.MICHEL LUNANGA/AFP via Getty

Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, cough, diarrhea and neck stiffness.

In the case of the three children from Boloko Village who died, they reportedly had similar symptoms. But soon their conditions “progressed to haemorrhagic signs and symptoms, including subconjunctival haemorrhage, epistaxis, and haematemesis, before succumbing to the illness," according to the statement.

The children had reportedly eaten a bat carcass before the onset of their symptoms.

Map of Democratic Republic of Congo.Google Maps

Google Maps

Test results on 12 blood samples from active cases and a swab from a deceased person tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.

PerThe Washington Post, WHO reported that “further laboratory testing is critical to identify the causative pathogen.”

According to the outlet, the new outbreak comes afteranother unknown flu-like diseasekilled 79 people in December 2024 in the southwest region of Democratic Republic of Congo.

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source: people.com