Mysterious Illness Claims Dozens of Lives in Southwestern Congo

Health officials and WHO are investigating an unidentified disease that has killed at least 79 people and sickened hundreds in Kwango Province.

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.