New Pandemic?
The East African Region is in trouble again as far as pandemics are concerned as a new and mysterious killer disease is being reported to erupt in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the incident saying it is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate an as-yet undiagnosed disease linked to multiple deaths in some remote parts of the country.
Observers fear that the new killer could be the threshold to yet another pandemic likely to wreak havoc in 2025.
Reuters report that the World Health Organization experts have been dispatched to Panzi, a locality in the southwestern Kwango province, near Bukavu, where they will deliver essential medicines and diagnostic kits to help analyze the cause of the illness.
“Laboratory tests are being conducted to determine the cause of this new disease,” the World Health Organization stated, adding that it would share more information as soon as it was available.
“Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities,” said the organization’s regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.
“All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the illness, understand its modes of transmission and ensure appropriate response as swiftly as possible,” she added.
The World Health Organization reports that over 394 cases and 30 deaths have been reported so far in Panzi health zone, citing data from the Ministry of Public Health.
Earlier this week, local authorities said an unknown disease had killed 143 people in the region in November.
Symptoms of the illness include headache, cough, fever, breathing difficulties and anemia, according to the WHO.