UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS – DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (EQUATEUR) FATAL, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION********************************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Thu 13 Feb 2025
Source: Anadolu Agency [edited]
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/unknown-disease-kills-over-50-in-dr-congos-equateur-province/3481547
An unknown disease has claimed more than 50 lives in the Bansakusu
territory of western Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
About 2000 people have fled Bomate, which is 25 kilometers (over 15
miles) from Basankusu, the epicenter of the outbreak, Radio Okapi
reported on Wednesday [12 Feb 2025], citing a press statement issued
by Senator Jean-Paul Boketsu Bofili of the Equateur province.
According to Bofili, symptoms of the unidentified disease include
hemorrhagic fever, headaches, and joint or lower back pain.
“To date, there have been more than 36 deaths reported by the
Basankusu health zone in one week, i.e., the period from 3 to 9 Feb
2025, and more than 50 deaths since the outbreak of the disease a few
weeks earlier in this locality, which has only about 5000
inhabitants,” the senator said.
Urging the public to follow the health measures, he emphasized that
this is a “serious health and humanitarian tragedy, which is beyond
the capacity of local administrative authorities and the health
system,” leaving them overburdened and understaffed.