Kinshasa: Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) suspect malaria and possible food poisoning as the cause of an outbreak that has claimed at least 50 lives in Equateur province this month.
According to Dieudonne Mwamba, head of the National Institute of Public Health, at least 943 people have fallen ill, experiencing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, vomiting, and weight loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a total of 1,096 cases and 60 fatalities linked to the illness.
"Our diagnosis so far points to malaria, but we are also investigating the possibility of food poisoning," Mwamba stated. He added that many of the affected children had consumed bushmeat, specifically a bat carcass, before falling sick.
Laboratory tests have ruled out viral hemorrhagic fevers, with 78% of the samples testing positive for malaria. "The outbreak is affecting five villages, and the evidence strongly suggests malaria as the main cause," said Ngashi Ngongo from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) during a press briefing.
The WHO has increased surveillance efforts and is working closely with local health authorities to conduct further investigations. A similar outbreak in December, initially of unknown origin, was later confirmed as malaria.
