Malaria and common respiratory infections, exacerbated by malnutrition, have caused a previously unexplained surge of deaths in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Friday.
The DRC had earlier declared a state of “maximum alert” over an “unknown public health event” responsible for dozens of deaths in Panzi, around 700 kilometres (435 miles) southeast of the capital, Kinshasa.
Children under five represented nearly half of the cases and deaths attributed to the yet undiagnosed illness.
The issue first gained attention in late October, with Panzi health authorities raising an alert in November following an increase in fatalities. Enhanced surveillance was swiftly introduced, focusing on tracking symptoms such as fever, cough, weakness, chills, headaches, and difficulty breathing in the absence of a definitive diagnosis.
From October 24 to December 16, the WHO identified 891 cases fitting the criteria, with 48 deaths. Laboratory tests from 430 samples revealed infections with malaria and common respiratory viruses, including influenza, rhinoviruses, SARS-CoV-2, and other coronaviruses.
Preliminary findings suggest that seasonal respiratory infections and falciparum malaria, compounded by acute malnutrition, have driven the rise in severe cases and fatalities, especially among children under five.
“This event highlights the heavy toll of common infectious diseases, such as acute respiratory infections and malaria, on vulnerable populations experiencing food insecurity,” the WHO stated.
The WHO assessed the public health risk in the affected communities as high, necessitating enhanced malaria control and improved nutrition. While the national risk is considered low due to the localised nature of the outbreak, the WHO warned that similar events could occur elsewhere in the country amid rising malnutrition.
The Panzi region faces significant challenges, including poor road access, limited health infrastructure, and shortages of clean water and medicines. With malnutrition rates at 61 percent, the area previously endured a severe typhoid fever epidemic two years ago.
The DRC, one of the world’s poorest nations, has also been grappling with an mpox outbreak, which has caused over 1,000 deaths in recent months.