A mysterious viral disease has emerged in parts of the Western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent weeks, resulting in at least 53 deaths, officials say.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), clinics are particularly concerned about the short period between the beginning of what seems to be the symptoms of “hemorrhagic fever” and death – about 48 hours – which encourages the fear that a large number of deaths could occur if the outbreak continues.
This is the latest viral epidemic that hit the East African region last year, after an epidemic of Marburg and MPOX disease.
DRC, in particular, is sensitive to epidemics because of its tropical climate, in which pathogens progress, as well as its thick forests that expose humans to wild animals that are likely to carry diseases. Many viral diseases in the country and elsewhere are also associated with the consumption of wild animals meat.
Here’s what we know about the latest threat to the virus:
Where was the new virus discovered?
The new virus was first discovered in January, in a remote village called Boloko, in the province of Drc Equateur. It happened in three children who ate a dead stick, according to WHO. All three children, at the age of five, died within 48 hours of presenting symptoms, including fever, winter and headache, between January 10 and 13.
In the same village, four more deaths were recorded among children between the ages of five and 18, all with similar symptoms, at the end of January. One death, January 22, was recorded in the nearby village of Danda.
On February 9, the second epidemic of the disease in Bomate, a separate city of distance, was recorded.
By February 15, 431 cases were recorded with a total of 53 deaths according to WHO (Pdf), who said that the mortality rate was 10.7 percent. About half of the death was recorded within 48 hours from the beginning of the symptoms.
What are the symptoms of the new virus?
According to WHO, the symptoms of the disease suggest that it belongs to a group of diseases called viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), which means that they cause excessive disease and blood loss. Recognize examples of such diseases include Ebola, Lassa fever and Marburg virus.
Symptoms recorded so far unknown diseases in DRC include fever, winter, headache, body pain, sweating, runny nose, neck rigidity, cough, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
What do we know about the causes and nature of a new disease?
According to WHO, it is not clear what is the cause of the disease or how the virus is transmitted. The clear connection between the two outbreak points has not yet been established. In the report, which said that the lack of an obvious connection between the two foci could “suggest two separate health events”.
The main concerns, therefore, is that it could be included “difficult to contagious or toxic means” – that is, the virus that occurs in nature – and that the disease so far with “extremely high” mortality.
“Key challenges [also] Include the rapid progression of the disease, with almost half of death within 48 hours of the beginning of the symptoms in one of the affected health zones, and an extremely high death rate in another, “he said.
How did the authorities answered?
Earlier in February, the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasi tested samples from 12 active cases and from one deceased person. Test results have excluded similar hemorrhagic diseases such as Ebola and Marburg virus.
Testing and searching for contact continues at the affected locations by the teams of local staff and official Who. However, the distance of two foci, as well as limited laboratory capacity and generally poor health infrastructure in DRC, could see that the disease spread further, the Whoh warned.
Meanwhile, insulating rooms have been set up in some villages in the region, and healthcare professionals go to communities to get to know people about a new illness.
What do experts say about a new illness?
Some health experts said they suspected that a viral disease could be zoonotic – a disease that spreads from animals to humans – because of a report of children eating a stick, which is known to wear viruses that can be deadly for humans. In the past, viruses like Ebola and Marburg have hit human beings who have dishes infected with bats.
While the new illness cannot be recognized, it is difficult to know how much people will easily be able to fight it, said Dr. Zania Stamataki, an associate professor of viral immunology at the University of Birmingham, she said at the British Scientific Media Center.
“If an infection was made of a virus that came from a bat, it tells us that it is unlikely that we have an existing immunity to this new infection for people, so we are unprotected [and] We suffer serious illness and even death, “Stamataki said.
“[But] If the virus is similar to other viruses that infect people-in-the-time viruses that cause a covid, it was similar to some ordinary cold coronavirus-some people can have the opportunity to show less severe symptoms and recover, “she added.
Why is Drc particularly vulnerable to the spread of the disease?
The country is currently capturing armed conflict in the Eastern Province of Kivo Rebel m23 groupswho recently caught the key cities of Gom (January 27) and Bukava (February 14).
Violence has already devastated health infrastructure in the region and caused mass displacement in recent months. Hospitals were flooded and assistant workers were attacked.
What other diseases have recently hit the region?
MPOX
Currently, MPOX outbreaks It also lasts in the region. Health officials of DRC who expressed concern about the high death rate – 4.9 percent – Last June, as well as a new, more infectious variant discovered in August in Kamituga, the Province of the South Kiva.
Between November 25 and January 5, more than 2400 cases of illness and five death cases were reported. From the beginning of the epidemic, DRC has reported a total of 11,834 cases and 1,304 deaths by February 23, according to the African Center for Disease Control.
Recent shipments MPOX vaccines of Western donors such as the United States, Japan and the European Union allowed officials to provide vaccines by December by at least 50,000 people by December. It is unclear how much vaccines are required to cover 105 million inhabitants in the country.
The virus also spread to neighboring Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, although in the lower numbers.
Malaria
In December, WHO reported that he had a newly discovered, heavy malaria case caused 48 deaths Within three months in Panza, the Southern Province of Kwango. That outbreak is ongoing.
Sudanese virus
Meanwhile, Uganda There are newly recorded cases of Sudan virus (in the same family as the ebole virus). Nine cases and one death were confirmed from January 30th.
Marburg virus
Tanzania faces the outbreak of Marburg virus, in the northwest of the Kager district. As of January, 10 cases have been reported, including two confirmed eight probable cases. Everyone resulted in death.
