WHO Provides Update on Mystery ‘Disease X’ That Has Left Dozens Dead in Congo

The General Hospital Panzi, in the area afflicted by the mysterious condition in the southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, in November. Lucien Lufutu /AP Photo

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an update on an “undiagnosed disease” reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in recent weeks that has left dozens dead, saying “rapid response” teams are collecting samples.

In a statement on Dec. 8 from the WHO, the U.N. health body said that the disease, dubbed by some media outlets and an African health body as “disease X” in recent days, had led to 406 cases, leaving 31 people dead, as of Dec. 5. The outbreak is primarily occurring in the Panzi health zone in Kwango province, described as a rural and remote area.

Authorities in Congo have confirmed 71 deaths, including 27 people who died in hospitals and 44 in the community in the southern province of Kwango, Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba said on Dec. 5.

The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi health zone. There were about 380 cases, almost half of whom were children younger than age 5, according to the health minister.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) provided a different figure—376 cases and 79 deaths—with the difference related to problems with surveillance and case definition, according to Dr. Jean Kaseya, who heads the organization.

All severe cases occurred in people who “were reported to be severely malnourished,” and the majority of those cases were reported among children, namely those younger than age 5, the WHO stated in its update.

“The area is rural and remote, with access further hindered by the ongoing rainy season,” the WHO said in its statement. “Reaching it from Kinshasa by road takes an estimated 48 hours. These challenges, coupled with limited diagnostics in the region, have delayed the identification of the underlying cause.”

WHO response teams are collecting samples for laboratory testing, and they will be searching for additional cases, according to the statement.

“Given the clinical presentation and symptoms reported, and a number of associated deaths, acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles, and malaria are being considered as potential causal factors with malnutrition as a contributing factor,” the health body stated. “Malaria is a common disease in this area, and it may be causing or contributing to the cases.”

Although no cause has been revealed yet, “it is also possible that more than one disease is contributing to the cases and deaths,” the WHO stated

However, it said that “the overall risk level to the affected communities is assessed as high.”

Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and body aches, according to the WHO. Additional details about the signs and symptoms, or how the disease could spread, were not disclosed.

In separate remarks on Dec. 10, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the health body was informed of the disease about two weeks ago and that “most of the cases and deaths are in children under 14 years of age.”

“Of the 12 initial samples collected, 10 tested positive for malaria, although it’s possible that more than one disease is involved,” Ghebreyesus said. “Further samples will be collected and tested to determine the exact cause or causes.”

In addition to the WHO, the Africa CDC sent its own team to investigate what it called “disease X,” which it said refers “to an unknown pathogen with the potential to cause severe illness and widespread public health impacts.”

Kaseya said the Africa CDC team will attempt to help “identify and address this emerging threat” and provide what he called “sustainable solutions.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.