More illnesses and deaths reported in Democratic Republic of Congo outbreak involving malaria
A view of the general Hospital Panzi in southwestern Congo. The outbreak of illnesses has spread in the remote and rural Panzi health zone in Kwango province.
By Deidre McPhillips, CNN
(CNN) — A mysterious illness outbreak in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has now been identified as an acute respiratory infection complicated by malaria, health officials said on Friday.
There have been 891 cases and 48 deaths reported since late October, according to an update from the World Health Organization on Friday.
Hundreds of samples have been tested to understand more about the illness. More than 60% of rapid diagnostic tests were positive for malaria, and about two-thirds of those tested with a more precise PCR laboratory test were also positive for Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. Other tests also detected common respiratory viruses, including the flu.
Additional epidemiological surveillance and laboratory testing continues, as the outbreak is considered to be ongoing. The number of weekly cases has remained relatively steady since early November, WHO data shows. There was one spike in cases during the week ending December 15, which was likely driven by improved case detection after rapid response teams were deployed; deaths did not rise nearly as much that week.
“The ongoing investigations and preliminary laboratory findings suggest that a combination of common viral respiratory infections and falciparum malaria, compounded by acute malnutrition led to an increase in severe infections and deaths,” according to the WHO update from Friday.
Symptoms that have led to deadly cases include difficulty in breathing, anemia and signs of acute malnutrition, which leaves young children particularly vulnerable.
Children younger than 5 have been disproportionately affected, representing nearly half of all cases and 54% of all deaths. This age group represents just 18% of the population in this region.
Women are also more likely to be affected than men, which the WHO suggests may stem from close interaction between mothers and children during acute respiratory illness.
The illness has spread in the Panzi district of the country’s Kwango Province, an area that is remote and rural. Vaccination coverage is also low in this population, and the rainy season raises the risk of malaria spread and complicates the limited transportation and health infrastructure.
This region has “experienced deterioration in food security in recent months,” according to the WHO. Severe malnutrition is a life-threatening condition on its own and disease and malnutrition can exacerbate each other, the agency said.
Broader risk to the national and global population remains low, highlighting the particular burden in these circumstances.
“Overall, this event highlights the severe burden from common infectious diseases (acute respiratory infections and malaria) in a context of vulnerable populations facing food insecurity and emphasizes the need to strengthen access and quality of health care,” the agency said in Friday’s update.
The-CNN-Wire
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