At least 60 people have died and over 1,000 are sickened in Congo’s Équateur Province by a mysterious illness characterized by fever, headache, and muscle aches. The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has offered a new theory that contradicts African medical experts, who initially suspected malaria.
According to the W.H.O., the illnesses were likely caused by poisoning, with a strong suspicion of a water source being involved. Investigators found the initial outbreak began in Boloko village and spread to nearby Danda village, with a second larger outbreak occurring in Bomate village.
Preliminary investigations linked the outbreak to three children who ate a bat in January, resulting in their deaths. Laboratory testing showed negative results for Marburg and Ebola viruses but positive results for malaria in around half of the samples tested. Samples are also being tested for meningitis.
The W.H.O.’s new theory contrasts with Dr. Ngashi Ngongo’s earlier statement that early testing indicated a connection to malaria. The organization notes that aid to the country has been diminished by recent U.S. funding cuts, which may have prevented experts from deploying to the area.
The outbreak in Équateur Province is separate from an ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo. The Congolese military is battling Rwanda-backed rebels in the region.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/world/africa/congo-mystery-illness.html