60 people have reportedly died after contracting a ‘mystery illness’ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - causing medical experts to inform UK residents to remain ‘vigilant’ and watch out for symptoms.
The most recent bulletin from the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) office in Africa (released on 23 February) states that the Congo is currently facing a ‘complex public health crisis’.
WHO writes that the acute febrile illness (AFI) outbreak in the northwestern Équateur Province has resulted in nearly a thousand cases (955) of infection.
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Previously, officials ruled out Ebola and the Marburg disease, while a definitive cause has yet to be identified.
However, it’s thought that Malaria still remains a likely contributor.
Further testing and investigations ‘are ongoing to determine the cause of illness and deaths’ in the country, states the bulletin.
Where did the illness originate from?
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CBS reports that the strange illness outbreak was originally traced back to three children who became sick and died after allegedly eating a bat carcass in the country.
However, WHO stipulates that the ‘exact circumstances of exposure have not yet been established’.
It was previously reported that over 50 people have died from the virus, with the latest WHO bulletin now listing the number of fatalities as 60.
The recently released account also states that provincial authorities responding to the outbreak are receiving technical and operational support.
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A team of experts from the national level has since been deployed to support field response activities.
Symptoms of the mystery illness to look out for
Despite not knowing what caused the illness, specialists do understand that there is a 48-hour interval between showing symptoms and experiencing death, as per CBS.
The WHO states that symptoms suffered by those infected by the virus include fever, nausea and vomiting.
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Others have reported having chills and a stiff neck, while headaches and diarrhoea have also been linked to the mystery illness outbreak, as well as abdominal pain and sweating.
According to Dr Céline Gounder, an American physician and medical journalist, these symptoms aren’t actually unique to the virus outbreak.
Instead, they’re ones you are likely to see with ‘any number of infectious diseases’, the expert reports.
“What had some folks concerned about Ebola and related infections was that they were seeing blood in the vomit, in the stool, bloody noses,” she told CBS Mornings.
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“That can be a sign of that, but you can also see that with a condition like Malaria.”
Warning issued by a UK medical expert
Regarding the mystery illnesses outbreak, a warning has been issued by Dr Zania Stamataki, Associate Professor in Viral Immunology at the University of Birmingham.
She claims it’s ‘possible’ that we will see more cases of illness and that incidents are currently and ‘correctly being treated as if it is an ‘outbreak of infection’.
“But it is not known how infection is transmitted, which makes it more difficult to contain,” the medical expert explained, as per the Bristol Post.
“The best way to contain the outbreak is to isolate patients and stop travel in affected regions to prevent transmission.
“While infected, a person could feel well enough to travel and mix with others in social events, which aids transmission.”
Dr Stamataki reminded those who are worried about the illness that infections know ‘know no borders’, nor respect country lines.
“People travel and infections travel with them, either hitching a ride in a person or in animal carriers, so one cannot exclude spread outside of a country’s borders,” she added.
"In the UK and in other countries we need to remain vigilant and watch for symptoms.
“Symptoms of a haemorrhagic fever-type disease should be reported to the UK Health Security Agency via a registered medical practitioner.”
Topics: Health, World News
Ella Scott