Officials say a mysterious viral disease has appeared in parts of the Western Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in recent weeks, which has led to at least 53 deaths.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), doctors are particularly concerned about the short period between the appearance of what appears to be symptoms of “bleeding fever” and death – about 48 hours – pushing fears that there will be a large number of deaths if the disease continues.

This is the latest viral epidemic that hit the East Africa last year, after the outbreak of Marburg and MPOX diseases among other things.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular, is subject to epidemics because of its tropical climate, as pathogens flourish, as well as its dense forests that expose people to wildlife that is likely to carry diseases. Many viral diseases have been linked to the country, and elsewhere, to consuming wild animal meat.

Here is what we know about the last viral threat:

Where was the new virus discovered?

The new virus was revealed for the first time in January, in a remote village called Buluko, in the first division province. It happened in three children who ate a dead strike, according to whom. The three children, who are under the age of five, died within 48 hours of symptoms, including fever, feeling and headache, between 10 and 13 January.

Four other deaths were recorded in the same village between children between the ages of five and 18, all with similar symptoms, in late January. One death was recorded, on January 22, in the nearby village of Danda.

On February 9, a second outbreak of the disease was recorded in Bomate, a separate city a distance.

By February 15, 431 cases were recorded with 53 deaths in total, according to the World Health Organization (PdfHe said that the death rate was 10.7 percent. About half of the deaths were recorded within 48 hours of symptoms.

What are the symptoms of the new virus?

According to WHO, symptoms of the disease indicate that it belongs to a group of diseases called viral hemorrhagic fever, which means that it causes excessive disease and blood loss. Examples recognized for these diseases are the Ebola virus, Lhasa and Marburg virus.

The symptoms recorded so far from the disease unknown in the Democratic Republic of the Congo include fever, chills, headache, body pain, sweating, runny nose, stiffness of the neck, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

What do we know about the causes and nature of the new disease?

According to those, it is not clear exactly what is the cause of the disease, or how the virus is transmitted. No clear link was created between the two outbreaks. In a report, he said that the lack of a clear relationship between the hot points could “suggest two separate health events.”

The main concerns, according to the World Health Organization, are that “the intense or poisonous factor” – any virus that occurs naturally – can be involved, and that the disease has so far displays the “very high” death rate.

“The main challenges [also] The rapid progress of the disease includes, with nearly half of the deaths that occur within 48 hours of symptoms appear in one of the affected health areas, and the exceptional high death rate in another, “who said.

How did the authorities respond?

Earlier in February, the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa tested samples of 12 active cases, and from one deceased person. Test results excluded similar hemorrhage diseases such as Ebola and Marburg Virus.

The test continues and tracks the connection in the affected sites by teams of local employees and officials. However, the hot point dimension, as well as a limited laboratory capacity and infrastructure for weak health care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can see that the disease is spreading more, and warned the World Health Organization.

Meanwhile, the isolation rooms have been created in some villages in the region, and health workers will go to societies to see people on the new disease.

What do experts say about the new disease?

Some health experts said they are suspected that viral disease can be an animal – a disease that spreads from animals to humans – due to the reports of children who eat bats, which are known to carry viruses that can be deadly for humans. In the past, viruses such as Ebola and Marburg have struck humans who ate infected bats.

Dr. Zania Steamaki, associate professor of viral immunology at the University of Birmingham, told the UK Scientific Information Center that the new disease can be determined, it is difficult to know the ease of eliminating humans from its warriors.

“If the infection arises from a virus that comes from the bats, this tells us that it is unlikely that we have a pre -existing immunity for this new infection for humans, so we are not protected [and] We suffer from severe illness to death. “

“[But] If the virus is similar to other human viruses-such as pre-virus, it is similar to some common cold cold viruses-some people can stand an opportunity to show less severe symptoms and recovery. “

Why is the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be particularly vulnerable to the spread of the disease?

The country is currently in the grip of an armed conflict in the eastern province of Kivu, led Repel M23 collectionWhich recently acquired the main cities of Goma (January 27) and Bocavo (February 14).

Violence has already destroyed the health care infrastructure in the region and caused great displacement in recent months. Hospitals are sunk and relief staff have been attacked.

What other diseases that hit the area recently?

MPOX

currently, MPOX outbreak It also continues in the area. Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the World Health Organization have expressed concern about the high death rate – 4.9 percent Last June, as well as a new, more contagious variable, discovered in Kamitoja, South Kevo Province, in August.

Between November 25 and January 5, more than 2,400 cases of illness and five deaths were reported. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported a total of 11,834 cases and 1,304 deaths by February 23, according to the African Center for Disease Control.

recently Shipments From MPOX vaccines of western donors such as the United States, Japan and the European Union, officials have been able to provide vaccines for at least 50,000 people by December. The number of vaccines needed to cover 105 million in the country is not clear.

The virus also spread to the neighboring Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, though in lower numbers.

malaria

In December, the World Health Organization stated that a newly defined malaria state 48 deaths caused Within three months in Banzi, the southern province of Kwango. This fascism continues.

Sudan virus

During, Uganda He has recently recorded cases of Sudan’s virus (in the same family as the Ebola virus). Nine cases and one death have been confirmed since January 30.

Marburg virus

Tanzania faces the outbreak of the Marburg virus, in the northwest of Kagira. Since January, 10 cases have been reported, including two confirmed cases and eight possible cases. They all resulted in death.