WHO suspects the mysterious epidemic in Congo is malaria

The information was released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 11. However, director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said there is a possibility that there is more than one type of disease related to this outbreak.

Of the 12 patient samples, 10 were positive for malaria. Other patient samples will be collected and tested to determine the exact cause.

416 cases and 31 deaths in the past month have been reported in Panzi district, a remote area in southwestern DRC, about 684 km from Kinshasa. Most cases are in children under 14 years old.

WHO sent a team of experts to support Kwango province, present at the scene from November 30 after many days of difficult travel due to the rainy season and telecommunications restrictions. The area also has high rates of malnutrition and low vaccination coverage, making children susceptible to many diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, and measles.

Dr. Abdi Mahamud, WHO’s Interim Director of Alert and Response Coordination, said malaria is endemic in the region and the rainy season causes an expected increase in respiratory diseases. For example, Kinshasa is seeing a resurgence of flu and Covid-19.

Epidemiological data do not show a sudden increase in cases or deaths. However, high infant mortality rates point to many problems that need to be addressed in Panzi and other vulnerable areas.

Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, praised DRC health officials for their efforts to tackle the outbreak. Officials realized the cluster was unusual enough to report it to WHO.

“This is a sign of a system that is performing well, even in a harsh environment,” he said.

Malaria is a disease caused by parasites that can be transmitted from person to person. If left untreated, the disease causes disruption of blood supply to organs, threatening the patient’s life.