A mysterious illness has killed over 50 people in northwestern Congo after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours, health experts say. The disease, which is not linked to known deadly viruses like Ebola or yellow fever, has rapidly spread across the region.
Symptoms of the illness include fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding, with most cases resulting in death within 48 hours. Researchers have tested over a dozen samples so far, ruling out common causes such as dengue and Marburg fever.
The outbreak began on January 21st, with 419 cases recorded and 53 deaths reported. The World Health Organization has confirmed that the disease is not linked to malaria, but some samples did test positive for the mosquito-borne illness.
This is not an isolated incident in Congo, as there have been a surge of outbreaks where diseases jump from animals to humans in recent years. In fact, the number of such outbreaks in Africa has increased by over 60% in the last decade.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/mystery-illness-has-killed-more-than-50-people-in-congo