An outbreak of a mysterious disease called “Disease X” has killed dozens of people. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), health officials say.
143 people have been killed so far. Infectious diseaseThis was told by the country’s deputy provincial governor, Remi Saki, to the Associated Press on Tuesday.
The AP reported this week that the deaths occurred between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi Health Zone in Quang Ninh province.
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The main symptoms include fever, headache, cough and difficulty breathing.
Most of those affected are children. Under 5 years of age.
“In Emergency Operations Center for Public Health and INSP [National Institute of Public Health] – which is in high alert mode – we have already deployed central level teams who will leave within 24 hours to attend. [local] Health Zone”, INSP Director General Dr. Dieudonné Mwamba said in French at a press briefing on Thursday.
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Apollinaire Yumba, DRC’s provincial health minister, urged residents to be cautious and avoid contact with dead bodies to avoid infection, AP reported.
The country is also demanding. Medical supplies.
“There is a shortage of medicines and medical supplies, as the disease is still undiagnosed.”
gave First cases Disease X was reported on October 24, but health authorities were reportedly not notified until December 1.
Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jane Cassia, spoke at a press conference on Thursday.
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“We have about a five to six week delay, and in five to six weeks, a lot of things can happen,” Kasia said.
“Ongoing testing will help us understand what the problem is.”
The country’s deputy provincial governor, Remy Saki, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that 143 people have died from the pandemic. (iStock)
Lucian Lufuto, president of the Consultative Framework for Civil Society in Kwangju province, which is based in Panzi, told the AP. Local hospital Not equipped to treat the influx of sick patients.
“There is a lack of medicines and medical supplies, since the disease is still undiagnosed, most of the population is treated by traditional practitioners,” he said.
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Contacted by Fox News Digital, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was aware of reports of an illness in southwestern DRC.
“US government personnel, including from the USCDC country office in Kinshasa, are in contact with the DRC Ministry of Health and are ready to provide additional assistance if needed,” a spokesperson said.
The first cases of Disease X were reported on October 24, but health authorities were reportedly not notified until December 1. (iStock)
Congo is already grappling with an ongoing one. An outbreak of mpoxA viral disease caused by the orthopoxvirus. A global emergency was declared in August.
In recent weeks, health authorities have confirmed between 200 and 300 cases of MPox per week, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.
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Fox News Digital also requested additional comment from the Africa CDC and WHO.