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A mysterious illness, initially detected in three children who reportedly consumed a bat, has claimed the lives of more than 50 individuals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the past five weeks, according to health officials.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in a bulletin that, as of February 16, there have been 431 cases and 53 fatalities across two outbreaks in remote villages within Équateur province.
“These outbreaks, which have seen a rapid surge in cases within days, present a serious public health risk. The precise cause remains unidentified,” stated Tarik Jašarević, a WHO spokesperson, during a press briefing on February 26. He added that the affected villages have limited healthcare infrastructure and surveillance capabilities.
The larger of the two outbreaks, reported on February 13 in Bomate village within the Basankusu health zone, has resulted in 45 deaths out of 419 cases.
Meanwhile, Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, a regional monitoring centre, noted that the time between the onset of symptoms—such as fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding—and death has been just 48 hours in most instances. “This is deeply concerning,” he said.
Samples from 13 cases tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses. However, the WHO stated that local health teams are investigating other potential causes, including malaria, food poisoning, typhoid, meningitis, or other viral haemorrhagic fevers.
An earlier outbreak, reported on January 21 in Boloko village within the Bolomba health zone, involved 12 cases and eight deaths. This outbreak was traced back to three fatalities among children under five years old in the same village earlier in the month. Symptoms, including fever and fatigue, progressed to haemorrhagic signs such as nosebleeds and vomiting blood. Reports suggest the children had consumed a dead bat before falling ill.
Additional cases were identified in Boloko and the nearby Dondo village, all exhibiting similar symptoms. The WHO confirmed that no connection has been established between the two clusters of cases.
“We are investigating whether this is another infectious disease or a toxic agent. We are assessing the situation to determine how and when the WHO can provide support,” said Jašarević, referencing similar past outbreaks.
In December, an outbreak of unknown origin in the DRC was later identified as malaria.