ETIDIOH - NEW

Situation at a glance On 9 February 2025, officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported to regional health authorities a cluster of 24 unexplained community deaths in a single village in Ekoto health area, Basankusu health zone, Equateur province .  As of 25 February, a total of 53 deaths have been reported , with the last death occurring on 22 February.  Deaths have occurred in all age groups , but adolescents and young adults , particularly males , appeared to be disproportionately affected in the initial cluster reported.  Disease progression appeared to be fast , with a median time from onset of symptoms to death of one day .  Given the rapid decline in the incidence of reported deaths, their geographic clustering, the age profile of deaths and the rapid disease progression in the initial cluster, working hypotheses include chemical poisoning or a rapid onset bacterial meningitis cluster , on a background of malaria and other infectious illnesses end...

Kinshasa – Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and experts from World Health Organization (WHO) are carrying out further investigations to determine the cause of another cluster of illness and community deaths in Equateur province .  In recent months, disease surveillance has identified increases in illness and deaths three times in different areas of the country , and triggered follow-up investigations to confirm the cause and provide needed support.   Since the beginning of 2025 , a series of illnesses and community deaths have affected Equateur province . The most recent cluster occurred in the Basankusu health zone , where last week 141 additional people fell ill , with no deaths reported. In the same health zone, 158 cases and 58 deaths were reported in the same health zone earlier in February. In January, Bolamba health zone reported 12 people who fell ill including 8 deaths.  Increased disease surveillance has identified in total of 1096...