A baffling health crisis has emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an unidentified illness has caused 79 fatalities, with the majority of victims being teenagers, officials report.
The disease, which surfaced in November, has infected more than 300 people and presents symptoms such as fever, severe headaches, persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, and anemia, according to the country’s health ministry.
The hardest-hit age group appears to be between 16 and 18 years old. To combat the crisis, a medical team has been deployed to Kwango Province, where the outbreak is concentrated. Local officials have expressed concern over the alarming pace of infections.
“This rural region lacks adequate medical supplies,” a civil society leader noted, highlighting the challenges faced by healthcare providers.
The outbreak coincides with the fifth anniversary of the first recorded case of COVID-19, drawing comparisons due to its sudden spread and mysterious origins. Congo has faced similar public health threats in the past, including Ebola and Mpox, which infected thousands earlier this year.