Mystery virus spread rapidly: 53 people dead in 2 days

A mysterious viral illness has emerged in parts of the western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent weeks, resulting in at least 53 deaths, officials say. Mystery virus spread rapidly: 53 people dead in 2 days.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), doctors are particularly concerned about the short time between the appearance of symptoms and death in “hemorrhagic fever” – about 48 hours – prompting fears that the outbreak could lead to more deaths if it continues.

It is the latest viral epidemic to hit the East African region in the past year, following outbreaks of smallpox in Marburg and others The DRC, in particular, is prone to infectious diseases due to its tropical climate in which pathogens thrive, as well as its dense forests that expose people to wildlife that is likely to carry diseases.

Many viral diseases in the country and elsewhere have been linked to consumption of wild animal meat. The new virus was first discovered in January in the remote village of Boloko in the DRC’s Equateur province. According to the WHO, it occurred in three children who ate a dead bats.

All three children under the age of five died between January 10 and 13 within 48 hours of exhibiting symptoms including fever, chills and headache. Four more deaths were recorded in the same village in late January among children between the ages of five and 18. One death was recorded in nearby Danda village on January 22.

On February 9, a second outbreak of the disease was recorded in the isolated town of Bomate, a short distance away. As of February 15, WHO (PDF) reported 431 cases with a total of 53 deaths, giving a case fatality rate of 10.7 percent. Half of the deaths were recorded within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

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According to the WHO, the symptoms of the disease indicate that it belongs to a group of diseases called viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), which means they cause excessive illness and blood loss. Recognized examples of such diseases include Ebola, Lassa fever and Marburg virus.