An unknown disease has killed 31 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's southwestern Province of Kwango since October, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday, sending the central African country on alert.
The WHO concluded that the current risk level in the affected region of the DRC is high while at a national level, the risk within the DRC is considered moderate and the regional and global risk levels currently are low.
Between October 24 and December 5, 2024, the Panzi health zone, a rural and remote area located around 700 kilometers from the capital Kinshasa, recorded 406 cases of the mystery flu-like disease with symptoms of fever, headache, cough, runny nose and body ache. All severe cases were reported to be severely malnourished.
The majority of cases reported are among children, particularly those under five years of age.
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.
Laboratory tests are underway to determine the exact cause. At this stage, it is also possible that more than one disease is contributing to the cases and deaths, the WHO said. To reduce the impact of the outbreak in Panzi and mitigate further spread, the WHO called for strengthening coordination mechanisms at the national, provincial, zonal, and local levels, and improving surveillance efforts.
DRC Public Health Minister Roger Kamba said Thursday the whole country was on maximum alert, and he urged a full investigation into the case samples.
Undiagnosed disease kills 31 in DR Congo: WHO
Undiagnosed disease kills 31 in DR Congo: WHO
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam Bui Thanh Son in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides pledging to promote the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
Noting that China and Vietnam are comrades in the socialist cause and good partners on the path of reform, Han said General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam have made strategic plans for advancing the China-Vietnam community with a shared future, providing clear direction for the development of bilateral relations.
Noting that next year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Han said the two sides should follow the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, maintain strategic communication, expand practical cooperation, consolidate the foundation of public opinion, strengthen multilateral coordination and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, bringing more benefits to the two peoples.
Bui Thanh Son said that developing long-term friendly relations with China is the consistent proposition, objective requirement, strategic choice and top priority of Vietnam's diplomacy.
Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy and is willing to strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, deepen pragmatic cooperation with China, and jointly promote the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future with strategic significance, he added.
Chinese, Vietnamese officials pledge to promote China-Vietnam community with shared future
