Kinkini Gupta
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What Is The Mysterious 'Disease X' That Has Claimed 79 Lives In Congo Since October?
The mysterious flue-like disease termed as 'Disease X' has lead to the death of 79 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo since late October this year. It has also resulted in hundreds of people falling ill from the disease. Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo anticipate determining the cause of an outbreak known as 'Disease X' within days due to the nature and severity of the disease.
According to Jean Kaseya, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 376 people reported with flu-like symptoms, nearly 200 are children under five, . The main symptoms as per official reports are fever, headache, cough, difficulty breathing, and anemia were first observed on October 24 in the Panzi health zone of the southwestern Kwango province, with national authorities being alerted in December.
The outbreak coincided with a rise in influenza cases, and officials suggest the disease is likely airborne, said Dieudonn Muamba, director general of the National Public Health Institute. Samples from patients are being tested at a national laboratory in Kinshasa, located about 500 kilometers (311 miles) from the outbreak area. Officials expect testing to be completed within 48 hours, with results likely to be announced over the weekend.