Concerns are growing regarding a deadly and unidentified illness that has claimed the lives of more than 50 people in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past five weeks.
The outbreak, which began in late January, has spread rapidly across the region, with 431 reported cases as of February 15, CNN reports.
Sky News states that the outbreak began on January 21, with 419 cases being recorded, including 53 deaths.
A Tragic Beginning in Boloko
The crisis first emerged in the remote village of Boloko when three young children - all under the age of five 0-died within 48 hours of eating a bat.
They exhibited severe hemorrhagic symptoms, including fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding—signs commonly associated with deadly viruses like Ebola and Marburg. However, initial testing has ruled out these known pathogens.
Dr. Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, has been closely monitoring the situation and is alarmed by the speed at which the disease is proving fatal.
“That’s what’s really worrying,” he said, per CNN, emphasizing that the rapid progression of symptoms leaves little time for treatment.
Rapid Spread and Unanswered Questions
After the initial deaths in Boloko, cases quickly began appearing in the nearby village of Bomate by February 9.
Samples from 13 affected individuals were sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, but results have only deepened the mystery. While some tested positive for malaria, all samples were negative for Ebola, Marburg, and other common hemorrhagic fever diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is now investigating alternative causes, including the possibility of a toxic agent or a previously unknown pathogen. "The outbreaks, which have seen cases rise rapidly within days, pose a significant public health threat. The exact cause remains unknown," WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said.
He added: “We are looking into whether it is another infection or whether it is some toxic agent. We have to see what can be done and at what point WHO can support.”
Symptoms and Theories
According to the WHO, initial symptoms include headache, diarrhea, and fatigue, before rapidly escalating into hemorrhagic fever. In most cases, death occurs within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, has suggested that the outbreak may resemble a previous case cluster in December, which was ultimately attributed to malaria and increased malnutrition. "It is certainly possible here that we have a similar issue," he said.
However, Dr. Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, cautioned against premature conclusions.
“There is a huge amount of uncertainty about this outbreak,” he explained. "However, here, it is concerning that we have hundreds of cases and over 50 deaths, with hemorrhagic-fever-like symptoms widely reported among those cases."
A Growing Threat of Zoonotic Spillover
The outbreak has reignited concerns about zoonotic diseases — those that jump from animals to humans.
Africa has seen a 60% increase in such outbreaks over the past decade, according to WHO data. The consumption of wild animals, including bats, is a common practice in some regions, raising fears that another virus with pandemic potential could emerge.
For now, health officials remain on high alert as sequencing and additional investigations continue in hopes of identifying the cause of this deadly outbreak.