Dozens of children die from unknown illness in the DRC
A mysterious illness, dubbed "Disease X," has infected at least 400 people and caused the deaths of dozens of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The World Health Organization (WHO) dispatched medical teams to the Panzi region, where the fatalities are concentrated, last week. The team has now released its initial report.
According to the WHO, as of October 24, there have been 406 recorded cases and 31 deaths, most of them children. However, the true numbers are likely higher.
While the illness has not yet been identified, some WHO doctors suggest it could be pneumonia, influenza, malaria, or measles.
The WHO has classified the risk of contagion in the Panzi region as "high," while it is deemed "moderate" in other parts of the African country.
Most of the reported cases involve children under the age of 14, who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms.
"This is a remote area with limited laboratory and other health capacity—there is no laboratory in the region—so it's possible that it's an existing pathogen that hasn't yet been diagnosed," a WHO spokesperson told Newsweek.
"Laboratory test results are still due, so this is an undiagnosed disease rather than unknown at this time," they added.
(QG - Source: Daily Mail / Newsweek / Picture: © Unsplash)