Mystery flu-like illness has killed dozens in Congo: What we know

LOS ANGELES - Public health officials in Africa are raising alarms as Congo reports at least 71 deaths linked to a mysterious flu-like illness in the southern Kwango province. Health authorities are investigating the cause of the disease, which has so far affected nearly 380 people, including many children under five.

Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), said more details would emerge in the coming days. "First diagnostics are leading us to think it is a respiratory disease," Kaseya noted, while emphasizing the need for laboratory results to confirm the findings.

What are the symptoms and affected areas?

The disease has primarily struck the Panzi health zone, a remote area in Kwango province, about 435 miles from Congo's capital, Kinshasa. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Cough
• Severe anemia

Of the reported 71 deaths, 27 occurred in hospitals, with respiratory issues and lack of blood transfusions cited as causes. Another 44 people died in the community. The disease has also reportedly spread to a neighboring health zone, Katenda.

What do we not know about the illness?

Key unknowns remain about the illness, including its transmission mode, infectiousness, and origins. While early diagnostics suggest it’s a respiratory illness, public health officials have not ruled out other possibilities. The affected region's poor healthcare infrastructure and widespread malnutrition complicate the response.

The National Institute for Public Health has sent samples to a lab over 300 miles away in Kikwit due to the lack of testing facilities in Panzi. Experts say more definitive answers could come soon.

What to expect as the investigation unfolds?

Congo's health minister, Roger Kamba, has declared a general alert, while epidemiologists continue on-the-ground assessments. The country’s fragile healthcare system is being stretched thin, with traditional healers treating many patients due to a lack of medical supplies.

Authorities are expected to reveal lab results within the next 48 hours, which could determine whether the illness is linked to a resurgence of typhoid, seasonal flu, or an entirely new pathogen.

Context: Congo’s ongoing public health challenges

The mystery illness is the latest in a series of health crises facing Congo, including an ongoing mpox epidemic that has resulted in over 1,000 deaths. Malnutrition affects 40% of Panzi residents, potentially increasing vulnerability to infections.

Residents like Claude Niongo, who lost his wife and daughter to the disease, say healthcare access remains a critical issue. "There is a problem of care, and people are dying," Niongo said.