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#Hypotheses raised over unknown #disease in #DRC as test results awaited

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By G.M.

 {Excerpt}

KINSHASA, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with a deadly illness of unknown origin that has claimed dozens of lives in a province, prompting investigations and heightened alertness as test results are awaited.

"This is, therefore, influenza, which has been formally identified," Patrick Muyaya, spokesperson for the DRC government, announced at a national television broadcast late Friday as he read the minutes of the Council of Ministers meeting chaired by President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, the country's capital, earlier that day.

During the meeting, Public Health Minister Roger Kamba said that since October, 592 cases of the illness have been recorded in the Panzi health zone of the southwestern Kwango province. Symptoms exhibited by patients are "similar to the flu," according to Kamba, who noted that the outbreak coincides with the seasonal flu period, which peaks in December.

Laboratory analysis revealed a 28 percent prevalence of the influenza virus, Muyaya said, noting a "significant presence" of human rhinovirus and SARS-CoV-2 in the samples, which accounted for the respiratory infections identified.

The Ministry of Public Health has not yet provided further clarification. However, the government declared a "high alert" earlier this month in response to the alarming situation.

Meanwhile, the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has highlighted two working hypotheses regarding the illness, which has so far caused 37 deaths in health facilities, primarily among children under five.

Investigators are also examining whether an additional 44 community-reported deaths are linked to the outbreak, which has a case-fatality rate of {62 percent - this figure is not compatible with total cases just above mentioned - GM}, according to the Africa CDC.

Ngashi Ngongo, chief of staff at Africa CDC, said during a Thursday press briefing that the first hypothesis suggests a combination of severe malaria, malnutrition, and a viral infection, while the second points to a viral infection co-occurring with malaria and malnutrition. Ngongo added that an adult patient presenting with hemorrhagic fever symptoms had died, with their sample sent to Kinshasa for further analysis.

(...)

Source: Xinhua, https://english.news.cn/20241221/06f87e5efb0e44559ef5ce528fbf43ea/c.html

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