Mysterious disease in Congo: more than 70 dead and uncertainty over origin

The international community is on high alert, but the fact remains that without a clear diagnosis, the cause of the outbreak remains shrouded in mystery, raising global concern

For several days, an outbreak of a mysterious disease has been alerting the international community. In Congo, more than 70 deaths have been reported in Panzi, in the south-west of the country. The patients’ symptoms, including high fever, headache, sore throat, cough, breathing difficulties and anaemia, are indicative of a respiratory infection, but the causes remain unknown. Health authorities are monitoring the situation very closely, but the origin of this ‘disease X’ has not yet been identified.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already sent a team of experts to investigate the epidemic. Among the hypotheses under investigation is a respiratory pathogen similar to Covid-19 or influenza, but diseases such as malaria, measles and other viral infections are also being investigated. The WHO has stated that only after laboratory tests will a clearer diagnosis be possible, but until then the cause will remain undetermined. In any case, teams of experts are already bringing medicines, diagnostic kits and materials to collect samples, trying to strengthen response measures, conduct epidemiological surveys and raise awareness among the local population.

In Italy, although there are no direct flights to Congo, the health authorities have activated precautionary surveillance. The Offices of Maritime, Air and Border Health (Usmaf) have been informed of the emergency in Congo, although there is still no alert for the country. The Ministry of Health, through the head of the Prevention Department, Maria Rosaria Campitiello, has reassured that there is no cause for alarm, but that the situation is being closely monitored.

Gianni Rezza, an infectious disease expert, emphasised that while it is not yet possible to make certain predictions, the lethality of the disease and the high number of victims, especially among children under five, are cause for concern. Rezza also emphasised the importance of the current international alert system, which allows situations such as the one in Congo to be rapidly monitored, preventing them from remaining localised.

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