Unknown Disease kills 53 in DRC

At least 53 people have reportedly died from an unknown illness within a day of symptoms being detected in the northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the risk of the disease spreading internationally is low and is investigating the mysterious disease and its source in detail.

The deaths are known to have occurred over a two-week period in February, in a village in Basankusu, Equateur province.

There is no link to Ebola and Marburg viruses, according to laboratory test results.

Half of the patients had malaria.

Experts are now investigating whether they are indicators of meningitis among people who already had other infections such as malaria.

They have also collected water and other environmental samples for further investigation.

The last death was reported on the 22nd of last month and there is no evidence of further infections in the affected village.

Initially, deaths occurred among all age groups but mostly affected boys and young men.

More than one thousand three hundred people with symptoms of the disease were identified.

By: BBC