A mysterious illness has claimed the lives of at least 53 people in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising alarm among health officials.
The outbreak, which began on Jan. 21, has infected 419 people, with doctors noting that death follows symptom onset within 48 hours in most cases – an unusually rapid progression.
Serge Ngalebato, the medical director of Bikoro Hospital, expressed deep concern about the severity, calling it "really worrying."
The first cluster of cases was reported in Boloko, where three children died within two days after eating bat meat and displaying signs of hemorrhagic fever.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that such diseases are increasingly spreading from animals to humans, with these zoonotic outbreaks in Africa rising more than 60% over the past decade.
The WHO has sent samples from the recent cases in Bomate, which began on Feb. 9, to Kinshasa for testing.
Early results have ruled out Ebola and other common hemorrhagic fevers like Marburg, though some samples have tested positive for malaria.
In a separate but equally tragic development, the DRC's eastern region has been engulfed by violence, with more than 7,000 people killed since January.
The M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has made significant territorial gains, including capturing the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.
DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka informed the United Nations Human Rights Council that more than 2,500 bodies remain unaccounted for, many buried anonymously.
The U.N. reported over 3,000 deaths in the region, and the Red Cross continues to collect and bury bodies, many of which are unidentifiable.
The violence has also led to a spike in criminal activity.
As armed groups plunder the streets of Goma and Bukavu, the security situation has worsened, with rampant thefts, assaults and an overall climate of fear.
"Insecurity in the province is growing," warned the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Local schools in Bukavu have begun to reopen, but many children remain absent as parents fear for their safety.
The ongoing conflict has overwhelmed hospitals in Goma, which are facing a severe shortage of medical supplies amid a surge in casualties.
Furthermore, the violence has exacerbated food insecurity, adding to the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Meanwhile, M23 forces have temporarily halted their advance toward the Burundi border, though thousands of refugees continue to flee across the border.
In response to the escalating conflict, Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye met with his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, in Kinshasa to discuss the situation.
Despite public denials, sources indicate that Burundi’s military support for DRC forces is diminishing, with some troops reportedly pulling back after logistical setbacks.
