Mystery ‘Disease X’ ripping through Congo finally identified after 143 deaths and 592 cases

THE mystery disease ripping through the Democratic Republic of Congo has been identified, the country’s health ministry has said.

The pathogen has claimed at least 143 lives since it began spreading in the southwestern Kwango province, in November.

“The mystery has finally been solved," the ministry said in a statement.

"It’s a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness... and weakened by malnutrition."

At least 592 people contracted the mosquito-borne disease, which caused fever, headache, cough, runny nose, and body aches, according to reports.

Amid speculation the outbreak could be 'Disease X', the World Health Organization (WHO) stressed it was “an undiagnosed disease, not an unknown one.”

Last week, the UN organisation sent a team of epidemiologists and doctors to investigate the outbreak in the Panzi zone, a remote part of the DCR.

Their mission was to collect samples to tackle the region's severe lack of testing facilities.

Initial rapid tests came back positive for malaria in at least 10 cases, but further confirmation was needed to verify the results.

Malaria is a serious infection spread by mozzie bites.

Though it isn't found in the UK, Brits are at risk of getting it when jetting off to tropical spots it's commonly found in - such as Central and South America and parts of Asia and Africa.

The potentially fatal disease can be almost completely avoided by taking malaria prevention tablets when appropriate.

Anti-malaria medicine from the WHO is being distributed in Panzi's hospital and health centres, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba, told Reuters.

A WHO spokesperson said more health kits for moderate and critical cases were due to arrive today (Wednesday).

Most of the cases and deaths are in children under 14, according to national health authorities.

“Respiratory distress was noted in some children and some other people who died,” Congolese Minister of Health Roger Kamba said earlier this month.

He said some patients were anaemic, which was the cause of some of the deaths linked to the disease.

A doctor at Panzi Hospital told last week that the facility was not sufficiently equipped to deal with the outbreak.