There have been at least 376 cases reported since Oct. 24 of patients experiencing fevers, headaches, and runny noses, in addition to difficulty breathing and anemia, according to Jean Kaseya, the director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials have started referring to the illness as “Disease X.” 

The Africa CDC has recorded a total of 79 deaths caused by the illness, but local officials told Reuters and the Associated Press that 143 have died.

“The Congolese government is on general alert regarding this disease,” Roger Kamba, the country’s health minister, said.

Kaseya said the disease emerged in the Panzi health zone, which is a remote part of Kwango province along the Congolese border with Angola. 

Women and children are among those who are the most affected by the illness. More than half of the total cases have been among children under the age of 5.

The World Health Organization said it is going to send medical professionals and supplies to aid in treatment of the disease, as well as support to find its identification.  

WHO officials cautioned against calling the disease “unidentified,” advising instead to describe it as “undiagnosed” because the remote nature of the region and its lack of laboratory services could mean an existing disease is causing the illness. 

“The health system is quite weak in our rural areas, but for certain types of care, the ministry has all the provisions, and we are waiting for the first results of the sample analysis to properly calibrate things,” Kaseya said.

Medical professionals who arrive in Congo will also be testing for flu as it is peak flu season in the region, as well as for COVID-19, malaria, and measles, in case the unknown disease may be multiple known diseases affecting the area.