Those who contracted the malaria infection exhibited symptoms like headache, fever, cough, and body aches
After being dubbed Disease X for weeks, the Democratic Republic of Congo has finally identified the mysterious flu-like disease that killed more than 143 people—mainly women and children - is severe malaria.
"The mystery has finally been solved," Congo's health ministry declared in a statement on Tuesday. "It's a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness."
The health agency said malnutrition in the hardest-hit region in Kwango province, 435 miles southeast of the capital city Kinshasa—where the infection struck—had weakened the local population's immunity, leaving them more vulnerable to the disease. Those who contracted the malaria infection exhibited symptoms like headache, fever, cough, and body aches.
The Congo's health minister, Roger Kamba, in a press conference, said the country was on "maximum alert" over the spread of the previously unidentified disease. The remoteness of the epicentre of the outbreak, along with a lack of a diagnosis, had made it extremely difficult for authorities to launch a proper response.
At least 592 cases were reported after the alert was first raised by Congo's health ministry late in October, with fears that the disease had a fatality rate of 6.25 per cent. More than half of the deaths recorded were children younger than five who were severely malnourished when they contracted the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 10 out of 12 samples from patients suffering from the mysterious disease had tested positive for malaria, but he said they were still testing at the time for other diseases.
What is severe malaria?
Severe malaria usually occurs due to delayed treatment of uncomplicated malaria. According to experts, this stage of the disease is defined by clinical or laboratory evidence of vital organ dysfunction.
Nearly all deaths from severe malaria result from infections with P. falciparum, although P. vivax and P. knowlesi can also cause severe disease. Symptoms of severe malaria include:
- Impaired consciousness or coma
- Seizures
- Circulatory collapse or shock
- Pulmonary eedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome or ARDS
- Acidosis
- Acute kidney injury
- Abnormal bleeding or disseminated intravascular coagulation
- Jaundice accompanied by at least one other sign
- Severe anemia with hemoglobin lower than 7 g/dL
Rainy season shows rise in malaria cases
Congo has suffered from many disease outbreaks in recent years, including typhoid, malaria, and anemia, along with an outbreak of mpox with more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease, according to the WHO.
Anti-malaria medicine provided by the WHO was being distributed at local health centers in Congo, and WHO officials said more medical supplies were due to arrive in the country Wednesday.
It's the rainy season in Congo, which often sees a rise in malaria cases, and will certainly complicate treating those most at risk.
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