--- title: "Mysterious Disease Outbreak Has Already Killed Dozens" description: "In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a mysterious illness has killed a ton of people — and officials are struggling to get it under control. " date: "2024-12-04" modified: "2024-12-04" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/mystery-outbreak-congo" categories: - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "congo" - "disease" - "illness" - "outbreaks" --- # Mysterious Disease Outbreak Has Already Killed Dozens ![In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a mysterious illness has killed a ton of people — and officials are struggling to get it under control. ]() *Passers-by attend an impromptu service in the streets of Kamituga, in South Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on September 20, 2024. Kamituga, one of the localities hardest hit by the epidemic with around a thousand confirmed cases, will be one of the first to receive the doses, according to the provincial health authorities. Kamituga, one of the localities hardest hit by the epidemic with around a thousand confirmed cases, will be one of the first to receive the doses, according to the provincial health authorities. (Photo by Glody MURHABAZI / AFP) (Photo by GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP via Getty Images) \Image: GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP via Getty Images\* In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a mysterious illness has killed a ton of people, particularly women and children — and officials are struggling to get it under control. As the [*Associated Press* reports](), a flu-like disease began spreading in southwestern Congo in November, where affected patients reported anemia, cough, headaches, fever, and trouble breathing. Rémy Saki, the deputy health minister of the Kwango province where the outbreak is taking place, told the *AP* that between 67 and 143 have died from the strange illness — though it remains unclear, obviously, what the full death toll is. "A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region," Saki said, "to take samples and identify the problem." As [*Reuters* reports](), cases continue to rise in the Panzi health zone where the outbreak is taking place. "Panzi is a rural health zone," society leader Cephorien Manzanza told *Reuters*, "so there is a problem with the supply of medicines." In a press conference over the weekend, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told reporters that the country is calling on international partners to send medical aid. He also added that people in the affected regions are being advised to not touch the dead so that they can avoid contamination from this unknown disease. The officials told reporters that people are dying alone at home from the strange illness because they don't have access to treatment, and that women and children have been most seriously affected by the illness. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, was reportedly alerted to the situation last week. This outbreak comes at a terrible time for the DRC, which is at the heart of a [virulent mpox epidemic]() and has reported [suspected cases of ebola]() in recent months. One of the [five poorest nations in the world](), Congo is often [plagued by disease outbreaks]() because its people lack access to basic medical care. Nonetheless, it's jarring that there hasn't been more immediate aid in this strange respiratory outbreak, given that the world is only now beginning to recoup from the COVID-19 pandemic. **More on outbreaks:** [*Trump's Health Guy Linked to Measles Outbreak That Killed Dozens of Children*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()