A mysterious illness has claimed the lives of more than 50 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with those affected dying within 48 hours of showing symptoms, according to local doctors and global health organizations.
The outbreak, which began on January 21 in the northwestern region of the country, has resulted in 419 reported cases, including 53 deaths. Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, expressed concern over the rapid progression of the illness, noting that “the interval between the onset of symptoms and death has been 48 hours in the majority of cases, and that’s what’s really worrying.”
The first known cases occurred in the town of Boloko, where three children consumed a bat and died within two days, showing signs of hemorrhagic fever. This incident has raised alarms about the potential for zoonotic diseases—those transmitted from animals to humans—especially in areas where wild animals are commonly consumed. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2022 that such outbreaks in Africa have surged by more than 60% in the past decade.
A second wave of the illness began on February 9 in the town of Bomate. To investigate, samples from 13 cases have been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa for further analysis. The WHO has confirmed that the samples tested negative for Ebola and other hemorrhagic fever diseases like Marburg. Some tests did return positive results for malaria.
In 2024, a similar flu-like illness that killed dozens of people in a different region of the DRC was identified as likely severe malaria.
The DRC is also dealing with an outbreak of mpox and ongoing conflict involving Rwanda-backed rebels, further complicating the country’s health and security situation.
