Overview

• The outbreak, centered in the Panzi health zone of Kwango Province, has killed between 79 and 143 people and infected over 350 since mid-November.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, anemia, and breathing difficulties, with most fatalities reported among children aged 15 to 18.
• A team of epidemiologists and the World Health Organization (WHO) are on-site collecting samples to determine the cause of the illness.
• Officials have urged residents to practice hygiene, avoid mass gatherings, and not handle deceased bodies without professional assistance.
• Local health systems are strained due to medicine shortages and concurrent outbreaks, including a severe mpox epidemic in the region.