KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo’s well being minister stated Thursday the federal government is on alert over a mystery flu-like disease that in current weeks killed dozens of individuals.
Authorities have thus far confirmed 71 deaths, together with 27 individuals who died in hospitals and 44 locally within the southern Kwango province, well being minister Roger Kamba stated.
“The Congolese authorities is on common alert relating to this illness,” Kamba stated, with out offering extra particulars.
Of the victims on the hospitals, 10 died because of lack of blood transfusion and 17 because of respiratory issues, he stated.
The deaths have been recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 within the Panzi well being zone of Kwango province. There have been round 380 circumstances, virtually half of which have been kids beneath the age of 5, in line with the minister.
Authorities have stated that signs embrace fever, headache, cough and anemia. Epidemiological specialists are within the area to take samples and examine the illness, the minister stated.
“The illness resembles a respiratory illness however it’s troublesome to speak about how it’s transmitted earlier than the outcomes of the evaluation of the collected samples,” Kamba added.
The Panzi well being zone, positioned round 435 miles (700 kilometers), from the capital Kinshasa, is a distant space of the Kwango province, making it arduous to entry. The epidemiological specialists took two days to reach there, the minister stated.
“The well being system is kind of weak in our rural areas, however for sure kinds of care, the ministry has all of the provisions, and we’re ready for the primary outcomes of the pattern evaluation to correctly calibrate issues,” he added.
A Panzi resident, Claude Niongo, stated his spouse and seven-year-old daughter died from the illness.
“We have no idea the trigger however I solely seen excessive fevers, vomiting… after which dying,” Niongo advised The Associated Press over the cellphone. “Now, the authorities are speaking to us about an epidemic however within the meantime, there’s a downside of care (and) individuals are dying,” he added.
Lucien Lufutu, president of the civil society session framework of the Kwango province, who’s in Panzi, stated the native hospital the place sufferers are handled is underequipped.
“There is a scarcity of medicines and medical provides, because the illness shouldn’t be but recognized, a lot of the inhabitants is handled by conventional practitioners,” Lufutu advised the AP.
He additionally stated the illness simply affected Katenda, one other close by well being zone.
When requested a couple of potential outbreak in different well being zones, the minister stated he couldn’t inform if that was the case however that nothing was reported.
Congo is already suffering from the mpox epidemic, with greater than 47,000 suspected circumstances and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the illness within the Central African nation, in line with the World Health Organization.
“At the present stage, we can’t converse of a large-scale epidemic, we should look forward to the outcomes of the samples taken,” well being minister Kamba stated relating to the thriller flu-like illness.
