05 Dec 2024 | 01:46 PM UTC
DRC: Unidentified illness reported in the Panzi health zone, Kwango province, in early December
Unidentified illness reported in the Panzi health zone, Kwango Province, in the DRC, in early December. Use basic health precautions.
Public health authorities in the DRC are investigating a disease of unknown origin reported in the Kwango province’s Panzi health zone that has affected at least 376 individuals, including 143 suspected deaths, since Oct. 24, 2024. Patients are displaying symptoms similar to the flu. A medical team has been sent to the Panzi health zone to collect samples and carry out an analysis to identify the disease. Authorities are awaiting laboratory test results. Health authorities urge the public to take prevention measures: avoiding mass gatherings, reporting suspected cases to local health authorities, and observing basic hygiene measures. This report represents the most up-to-date information available as of Dec. 5.
Emphasize basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). Avoid mass gatherings and report suspected cases or unusual deaths to local health authorities.
The causative agent of the illnesses remains unidentified; however, laboratory test results for samples collected by health authorities are pending. Symptoms reported in patients include fever, headaches, runny nose and cough, difficulty breathing, and anemia. Women and children are the most seriously affected by the disease, with the majority of deaths reported in children over 15 years old. A rapid response team has been dispatched to the affected area to ensure immediate management of reported cases, collect samples for laboratory analysis, and conduct in-depth field investigations.
