Congo Identifies ‘Mystery Disease’ that Claimed Dozens of Lives

Since October, a mysterious illness with flu-like symptoms has been affecting the people in the southwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The illness that killed over 143 people, mostly women and children, has been identified as severe malaria. The country’s health ministry confirmed the diagnosis on Tuesday.

“The mystery has finally been solved… It’s a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness,” said Congo’s health ministry. The disease, which initially baffled health officials, manifests as a respiratory illness with symptoms like fever, headache, cough, and body aches. The health agency stated that malnutrition in the most affected areas had compromised the local population’s immune systems, which makes them more susceptible to the disease.

The country has faced numerous disease outbreaks in recent years, including typhoid and anemia. The rainy season has also complicated malaria control efforts. In response, the World Health Organisation has distributed anti-malaria medicine and sent additional supplies to control further spread of the disease.