Congo confirmed that the strange disease causing many deaths was malaria

“The mystery has finally been solved. This is a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory disease,” the Congolese Ministry of Health announced on December 17. Two years ago, Panzi experienced a typhoid fever epidemic. The region also has high rates of malnutrition and low vaccination rates, making children susceptible to many diseases.

Earlier this month, local authorities said the disease had killed 143 people in November, most of them children. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, runny nose and body aches.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is still testing and investigating and has not reached a final conclusion. The agency has not received notification from the Congolese Ministry of Health.

Some samples have been shipped to the WHO laboratory in Kinshasa, about a 48-hour drive from Panzi. WHO said more samples are being shipped. According to Mr. Apollinaire Yumba, Director of the Panzi Health Agency, WHO has provided anti-malaria drugs to hospitals and medical centers.

According to WHO Director, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 10 initial samples from patients in Congo tested positive for malaria. However, he did not rule out the possibility that they had multiple diseases at the same time.

Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, praised Congolese health officials for their efforts to tackle the outbreak. Officials found the cluster 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.