The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Thursday that its investigation into a mysterious illness in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo is intensifying as the deadly, unidentified disease continues to spread. More than 60 people have died in the past five weeks, raising concerns among health officials.
The WHO, working alongside Congo’s health authorities, is conducting further research to determine the cause of a new cluster of illnesses and deaths in Equateur province. This marks the third time this year that disease surveillance teams have reported a surge in cases in the region.
The latest outbreak occurred in the Basankusu health zone, where 141 additional people fell ill last week, though no new deaths have been reported. However, earlier in February, the same area recorded 158 cases and 58 fatalities. In January, the Bolamba health zone reported 12 cases, including eight deaths.
Initial reports from WHO’s Africa office suggest the first outbreak stemmed from several children who consumed a bat and developed hemorrhagic fever symptoms, similar to those seen in Ebola and Marburg virus infections. The deaths occurred in the village of Boloko and affected people of all ages, though teenagers and young adults appeared to be the most vulnerable.
When a cluster of unexplained illnesses emerges, teams of health officials and international disease specialists, known as “virus hunters,” are dispatched to investigate. Their goal is to identify the first patient—”patient zero”—and implement measures to contain and treat the illness. However, a health official working in the region told CBS News that these response efforts have been severely impacted by the Trump administration’s recent cuts to U.S. foreign aid, reducing resources available for outbreak control.