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Ten patients suffering from a “mysterious disease” that has caused 79 deaths in Democratic Republic of the Congo were positive on the test malaria.
The central African nation has so far reported 376 cases of the disease, which primarily affects women and children under the age of five.
World Health Organization chief dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus he said that patients with the mystery disease could be suffering from multiple diseases at the same time.
“Of the 12 initial samples collected, 10 were positive for malaria, although it is possible that more than one disease is involved. Further samples will be collected and tested to determine the exact cause or causes,” a WHO the spokesman said.
At a briefing on December 5, Dieudonne Mwamba, head of the country’s National Institute of Public Health, said the symptoms suggested a respiratory illness. However, in the absence of a clear diagnosis, it was difficult to determine the cause of the disease, i.e. whether it was viral or bacterial.
Symptoms were flu-like, such as headache, cough, difficulty breathing, and anemia.
An epidemiologist previously told Reuters that the disease mainly affects women and children.
Health authorities investigated the outbreak, initially considering diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya. But challenges with diagnostic infrastructure, sample collection and transportation have hindered identification of the cause.
“All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the disease, understand the modes of transmission and ensure an appropriate response as quickly as possible,” WHO regional director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said in a statement last week.
Deaths from the disease were reported between November 10 and 25 in the Panzi zone of Quang Ninh province. According to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 376 cases of the mysterious illness and at least 79 deaths.
The affected region faces challenges such as malnutrition, poor health infrastructure, low vaccination rates and limited testing capacity.
“This area has experienced worsening food insecurity in recent months, has low vaccination coverage and very limited access to diagnostics and quality case management. There is a shortage of supplies and transport and a shortage of health personnel in the area. Malaria control measures are very limited,” WHO said.