In Congo, a mysterious flu-like illness kills dozens and puts authorities “on general alert” as cases are investigated Blogging Sole

Kinshasa, Congo – Congo’s health minister said Thursday the country’s government is on alert over a mysterious flu-like illness that has killed dozens of people in recent weeks, nearly half of them children. Authorities have so far confirmed 71 deaths, including 27 people who died in hospitals and 44 in the community in southern Kwango province, Health Minister Roger Kamba said.

“The Congolese government is on general alert in the face of this disease,” Kamba said, without providing further details.

Among the hospitalized victims, 10 died due to lack of blood transfusions and 17 due to respiratory problems, Mr. Kamba said.

Authorities said symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, cough and anemia. Epidemiology experts were present in the region to take samples and investigate the disease, the health minister said.

Congo is already plagued by the mpox epidemicwith more than 47,000 suspected cases and more than 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease in the central African country, according to the World Health Organization.

Country authorities started vaccinating people against mpox in October, almost two months after the epidemic which spread from Congo to several African countries and beyond has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization.