information Unknown Disease Kills 143 in Congo (5 years after Covid)

[Mister Funsky]

Not a whole lot of information yet...the numbers seem to have jumped quickly. Could be due to limited health care in the region. Let's hope history is not repeating itself.

Unknown Disease Kills 143 in Southwest Congo, Local Authorities Say​

LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Reuters) - An unknown disease killed 143 people in Democratic Republic of the Congo's southwestern province in November, local authorities told Reuters.

Infected people had flu-like symptoms, including high fever and severe headaches, Remy Saki, deputy governor of Kwango province, and Apollinaire Yumba, provincial minister of health, said on Monday.

A medical team has been sent to the Panzi health zone to collect samples and carry out an analysis in order to identify the disease.

The situation is extremely worrying as the number of infected people continues to rise, civil society leader Cephorien Manzanza told Reuters.

"Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines," Manzanza said.
Sick people die in their own homes for lack of treatment, Saki and Yumba said.

A local epidemiologist said women and children were the most seriously affected by the disease.

A WHO spokesperson said on Tuesday the UN health agency had been alerted to the presence of the disease last week, and it was working alongside Congo's public health ministry to make further investigations.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/a...-143-in-southwest-congo-local-authorities-say

 

[Mister Funsky]

Not surprising illness reports come out of the Congo regularly.

Some of the diseases that affect the Congo are:

• • Malaria, a vector borne disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Malaria can be prevented by taking antimalarial pills and using insect repellent and bed nets.
  • Diarrheal diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever, caused by contaminated food or water. Diarrheal diseases can be prevented by drinking boiled or bottled water and practicing good hygiene.
  • Trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, a vector borne disease transmitted by tsetse flies. Trypanosomiasis can be treated with medication if diagnosed early.
  • Schistosomiasis, a water contact disease caused by parasitic worms. Schistosomiasis can be avoided by not swimming or wading in freshwater bodies.
  • Rabies, an animal contact disease caused by infected animal bites. Rabies can be prevented by avoiding contact with wild or stray animals and getting vaccinated if exposed.