Rd Congo, over 70 deaths from unknown illness. Government “on alert” | EUROtoday

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Over 70 individuals have died from an epidemic attributable to a flu-like illness – at present unknown – which has hit the south-west area of the Democratic Republic of Congo in current weeks, round half of them youngsters. “The symptoms are similar to the flu,” stories the Ministry of Health of the African nation, which revises the toll of suspected deaths in comparison with the primary stories of the illness. The age of the deceased is between 15 and 18 years previous. According to well being authorities, “more than 300 people have been infected and patients presented symptoms such as fever, headache, runny nose and cough, breathing difficulties and anemia”, stories the BBC. The WHO has despatched a crew of specialists to evaluate the state of affairs which native authorities outline as worrying.

Medical groups in motion within the affected areas

Intervention groups within the areas affected by the epidemic have been additionally despatched by the National Institute of Public Health (NSP) and the Operations Center for Public Health Emergencies (Cousp) of Congo. The goal is “the immediate treatment of reported cases – reports a note from the Ministry of Health – taking samples from patients for laboratory analysis, conducting in-depth field investigations to identify the nature of this disease. The results of the laboratory analyzes will be communicated as soon as they are available and periodic updates will be given to the population.”

Health Minister: Government “on alert”

During a degree print the Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Roger the Turtlestated the federal government is “on alert” concerning the unknown illness, which is especially widespread amongst communities in Kwango province. At the second, “71 deaths have been confirmed, including 27 people who died in hospitals and 44 in the community in the southern province of Kwango”, specified Kamba. “Compared to the victims in hospitals, 10 died due to lack of blood transfusions and 17 due to respiratory problems,” he added.

The deaths have been recorded between November 10 and 25 within the Panzi well being zone, Kwango province. According to the minister “there have been approximately 380 cases in total” of this unknown illness, “almost half of which involved children under the age of 5”. Symptoms are fever, headache, cough and anemia. Kamba stated that “epidemiologists” had been despatched to take samples and examine the illness. Kamba admitted that “the health system is rather weak in our rural areas”, however the ministry is “waiting for the first results of the sample analysis to adequately calibrate the strategies”. The Congo Minister of Health has not confirmed the chance that there might be different outbreaks.

Bassetti: “Congo is Pandora’s box for viruses, fertile ground for new epidemics”

“In Congo there has just lately been an epidemic of Mpox, that of clade II which is essentially the most aggressive variant, so in some methods it’s a nation that may be a Pandora’s field as regards viruses, bacteriological and parasitological issues on the whole”. So theinfectious disease specialist Matteo Bassettiintervening on the pathology – currently unknown – which is affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo. “There are all the characteristics for a small problem to become a big problem – continues the expert – there is an inadequate healthcare system due to the crowding of cities and we still live in an absolutely inadequate condition, therefore – concludes Bassetti – it is it is clear that any type of microorganism, any type of new infection finds very fertile ground there.”