‘Unknown disease’ that can kill within days leaves 53 dead in Congo

Washington Post

World Health Organization officials said the outbreak appeared to originate from a village where three children died after reportedly eating a bat carcass. An unknown illness has killed 53 people in a northwestern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a significant portion of deaths taking place within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, according to the World Health Organization, which describes the outbreak as posing “a significant public health threat.” At least 431 cases have been reported since January of individuals suffering from fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue, according to the WHO’s Africa office. The illness — believed to have broken out in two separate villages in Équateur province — has a fatality rate of 12.3 percent,the WHO said.

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