Mystery flu-like illness kills up to 143 in Congo

An unknown flu-like illness that particularly affects women and children has killed up to 143 people, as health officials race to take samples.

An unknown flu-like illness has killed up to 143 people in southwestern Congo over the past two weeks as health authorities race to identify the disease.

Between 67 and 143 people have died, and hundreds have been infected in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province, deputy provincial governor Rémy Saki and provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told the Associated Press and Reuters.

Symptoms include fever, headache, cough and anaemia.

”A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” Mr Saki added.

A policeman watches over a coltan mine in Rubaya, Congo. Photo: Veronique de Viguerie/Paris Match/Getty Images

The World Health Organization (WHO) was alerted to the unidentified disease last week and has a team working on the ground to assist local health services.

Locals have been advised to exercise caution and refrain from contact with dead bodies.

Sick people die in their own homes for lack of treatment, the government officials said.

Civil society leader Cephorien Manzanza told Reuters the situation was extremely worrying as the number of infected continues to rise.

“Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines,” Mr Manzanza said.

A local epidemiologist told Reuters women and children were the most seriously affected by the disease.

Congo is already battling an mpox epidemic that is believed to have killed more than 1000 and infected 47,000 in the Central African nation, according to the WHO.