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Another ‘pandemic-like’ situation has occurred in Southwest Congo where a flu-like disease has killed dozens of people over two weeks. A deadly flu-like illness has claimed dozens of lives over a two-week period. The fatalities, reported between November 10 and November 25, occurred in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. Symptoms of the deadly mystery illness include fever, headache, cough, and anaemia, according to provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba.

Deputy provincial governor Remy Saki stated on Tuesday that the death toll ranges between 67 and 143. “A team of epidemiological experts is expected to arrive in the area to collect samples and identify the cause of the outbreak,” Saki said.

Yumba urged the public to avoid contact with deceased bodies to prevent further spread and called for urgent medical assistance from national and international partners.

Meanwhile, Congo continues to battle an ongoing Mpox epidemic, with over 47,000 suspected cases and more than 1,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). A WHO representative confirmed that the organization is aware of the new outbreak and is working with local health officials to gather samples for analysis. The representative spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, since January 1, 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported over 47,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 1,000 suspected deaths. Among these, approximately 9,000 cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing, including over 40 confirmed fatalities.

Mpox is categorized into two clades: Clade I and Clade II. Clade I has been associated with more severe illness and higher mortality rates compared to Clade II. The Clade I virus is endemic to the DRC but has spread to neighbouring countries such as Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Travel-related cases of Clade I mpox have been reported in Canada, Germany, India, Kenya, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The first case of Clade I mpox in the United States, linked to the Central and Eastern African outbreak, has also been identified. Despite this, the risk to the general public in the U.S. remains low.

On August 14, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ongoing outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

How To Keep Yourself Safe From Mpox

If you are in a high-risk area, then you can also protect yourselves and your loved ones by taking some precautionary measures:

- Avoid close contact with people sick with signs and symptoms of mpox, including those with skin or genital lesions.

- Avoid contact with wild animals (alive or dead) in areas where mpox regularly occurs.

- Avoid contact with contaminated materials used by people who are sick with mpox (such as clothing, bedding, or materials used in healthcare settings) or that came into contact with wild animals.

- Avoid eating or preparing meat from wild animals (bushmeat) or using products (creams, lotions, powders) derived from wild animals.

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