The World Health Organization announced Friday that it was deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate a disease still undiagnosed linked to multiple deaths in a remote region of the country.
THE WHO Experts are on their way to Panzi, a town in the southwestern Kwango province, where they will deliver essential medicines and diagnostic kits to help analyze the cause of the disease.
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Laboratory tests are underway to determine the cause, the WHO said, adding that it would share more information as it becomes available.
“Our priority is to provide effective support to affected families and communities,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa.
“All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the disease, understand its modes of transmission and ensure an appropriate response as quickly as possible,” she added.
The WHO said 394 cases and 30 deaths have been reported so far in the Panzi health zone, citing data from the Ministry of Public Health.
Earlier this week, local authorities said an unknown disease killed 143 people in the region in November.
Symptoms of the disease include headache, cough, fever, difficulty breathing and anemia, according to the WHO.
—Reporting by Rachel More, editing by Thomas Seythal
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