An unknown disease in Congo has left dozens dead, officials say

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — An unknown disease has killed at least 67 people over a two-week span in southwestern Congo, local authorities said.

The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. The symptoms included fever, headache, cough and anemia, the provincial health minister, Apollinaire Yumba, told reporters over the weekend.

The deputy provincial governor, Rémy Saki, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that between 67 and 143 people died.

”A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” he added.

Yumba advised the population to exercise caution and refrain from touching the dead to avoid contamination. He called on national and international partners to send medical supplies to deal with the health crisis.

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