Unknown Illness Sweeping Congo After Group of Children Eat Bat, 53 Now Dead

Conservative News DailyFebruary 28, 2025

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In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a mysterious illness has emerged, leading to at least 53⁢ deaths among 419 reported ⁢cases as late January. ‌The outbreak was first linked to ‌three children in the village‍ of Boloko who consumed a bat and afterward exhibited hemorrhagic‌ fever symptoms, leading to their deaths within 48 hours. Medical authorities, including the World Health Association, have reported symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, and other severe⁢ health issues but have ‍ruled out known diseases such⁤ as Ebola and dengue fever⁢ through ⁤testing. A second outbreak occurred in February in a nearby village, and health officials are actively investigating the ‌situation as the disease’s origins remain ⁤unclear. The rise in zoonotic diseases, wich are illnesses transmitted from animals to humans, is‌ a growing concern in Africa, prompting calls for enhanced surveillance ⁢and ⁢rapid response to prevent future outbreaks.

The illness that’s killed at least 53 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains a mystery, doctors in Africa said.

Cases began exploding on Jan. 21, after three children in the village of Boloko ate a bat and experienced hemorrhagic fever symptoms, according to the Associated Press.

They died 48 hours later.

“That’s what’s really worrying,” said Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital.

As of Monday, there have been 419 reported cases, 53 of them fatal, according to the AP.

The World Health Organization d a bulletin on Feb. 16 describing the symptoms:

Fever
Chills
Headache
Muscle pain
Body aches
Sweating
Runny nose
Neck stiffness
Cough
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal cramps

What we know about mysterious illness quickly killing people in the Congo https://t.co/pZAZsXtYOS pic.twitter.com/va2GU4Be1g

— National Post (@nationalpost) February 27, 2025

The disease broke out a second time on Feb. 9, in the village of Bomate, which is northeast of Boloko.

After this second outbreak, samples were sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The tests for Ebola, dengue, Marburg, and yellow fever all returned negative, but some registered positive for malaria.

Health authorities in the DRC and @WHO are investigating a new cluster of illness and deaths in Equateur province.

The experts are stepping up disease surveillance, conducting interviews with community members to understand the background and determine the cause of the… pic.twitter.com/8ofdk0FMGI

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) February 27, 2025

According to the WHO African Region, the number of zoonotic outbreaks has increased 63 percent in Africa between the periods of 2001-2011 and 2002-2022.

#Africa 🌍 is facing a growing risk of outbreaks caused by zoonotic pathogens.

There has been a 63% increase in the number of zoonotic outbreaks in the region in the decade from 2012-2022 compared to 2001-2011, according to a @WHO analysis ➡️ https://t.co/b6mnJVKydw pic.twitter.com/V6QEPSSSQB

— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 14, 2022

“Infections originating in animals and then jumping to humans have been happening for centuries, but the risk of mass infections and deaths had been relatively limited in Africa. Poor transport infrastructure acted as a natural barrier,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO regional director for Africa.

“However, with improved transportation in Africa, there is an increased threat of zoonotic pathogens traveling to large urban centres. We must act now to contain zoonotic diseases before they can cause widespread infections and stop Africa from becoming a hotspot for emerging infectious diseases,” Moeti said.