A mysterious illness has killed over 80 people in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, with malaria identified as the most likely cause. The victims exhibited flu-like symptoms such as fever, headaches, and breathing difficulties.
Health experts say widespread malnutrition worsened the situation. However, they cannot rule out other factors at play, including a potential viral infection that may have occurred around the same time. Samples from one deceased patient are being sent to Kinshasa for testing, with results expected within the week.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the World Health Organization, and other agencies are investigating the outbreak and conducting further testing.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn08xz015nyo