Investigation Intensifies in DRC as Illness Clusters Emerge in Equateur Province
Health authorities and WHO experts are investigating a series of illnesses and deaths in Equateur province, DRC. Recent clusters have emerged, raising public health alarms, with numerous cases and fatalities reported. WHO has deployed teams to enhance surveillance, administer treatments, and manage outbreaks effectively.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), health authorities, alongside experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), are intensifying investigations into a concerning outbreak of illness and community fatalities in Equateur province. Recent spikes in disease reports have prompted these inquiries as various regions have suffered clusters of illness, raising urgent public health concerns.
Since the onset of 2025, Equateur province has faced multiple instances of illness, with the latest surge noted in the Basankusu health zone, where 141 individuals fell ill last week without any reported fatalities. Previously, the same health zone recorded 158 cases and 58 deaths in February, and earlier in January, the Bolamba health zone reported 12 cases with 8 fatalities.
Overall, disease surveillance has flagged a total of 1,096 individuals as ill with 60 deaths across Basankusu and Bolomba, presenting symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle pain, and gastrointestinal distress. The DRC is currently grappling with several concurrent health crises, further straining the healthcare system and communities.
In response to these challenges, WHO and a national rapid response team have been deployed to Basankusu and Bolomba to discern the root cause of these unexpected illnesses. The team is enhancing disease surveillance, interviewing locals for insight, and administering treatments for prevalent diseases like malaria and typhoid.
WHO has supplied critical emergency medical equipment, including testing kits, to aid these efforts and has established protocols for a thorough investigation. Initial lab tests excluded Ebola and Marburg diseases as causes, while approximately half the tests confirmed malaria, which is endemic to the region.
Additional testing for meningitis and environmental analysis of food and water sources is ongoing, as previous samples were found unviable and are being retested. The geographical isolation of Basankusu and Bolomba, situated quite far from the provincial capital Mbandaka, poses significant barriers to healthcare access, compounding the crisis.
WHO’s engagement includes training more than 80 community health workers to enhance case detection and reporting. This initiative aims to strengthen responses not only to the current outbreak but also to future health incidents. WHO remains committed to assisting health workers and coordinating with local authorities to mitigate the outbreak’s impact and improve health outcomes in the region.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing a public health emergency in Equateur province, with significant clusters of illness leading to fatalities. Ongoing investigations are crucial to identifying causes, improving disease response, and ensuring healthcare access in remote areas. WHO’s proactive measures and community engagement are vital for addressing this crisis and preventing future occurrences.
Original Source: www.afro.who.int
