High alert as mysterious ‘Disease X’ kills 71 and infects 394 – as bug feared airborne, causing breathing difficulties

PUBLIC health officials officials are on “high alert” over a mysterious illness dubbed ‘Disease X’ emerging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The flu-like illness has infected 394 people in recent weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today, as experts race to identify its cause.

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It has also killed 71, according to Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa’s CDC, said yesterday more details about the disease should be known within the next 48 hours, AP reported.

The health watchdog appeared to label the virus ‘Disease X’ during an online press briefing on Thursday and on it’s X account – a name used by the WHO and given to a hypothetical pathogen that has pandemic potential.

It is feared to be airborne – passed via small droplets when breathing or talking – said Dieudonne Mwamba, director general of the National Public Health Institute.

He added: “We don’t know if we are dealing with a viral disease or a bacterial disease.”

Reports of the mysterious illness began emerging in late October with cases so far limited to the Panzi region – 435 miles southeast of DCR’s capital, Kinshasa.

Because of the lack of testing capacity, samples had to be taken to Kikwit, more than 500 km away, said Mwamba.

Mr Kaseya added: “First diagnostics are leading us to think it is a respiratory disease.

“But we need to wait for the laboratory results.”

He added that there are many things that are still unknown about the disease, including whether it’s infectious and how it is transmitted.

Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba told reporters in Kinshasa: “We are on maximum alert, we consider this to be a level of epidemic that we need to monitor.”

Residents infected with the mysterious illness began developing flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, coughs and fever.

Some also suffered from breathing difficulties and anaemia.

Kamba said: “In the health centres, we have counted 27 dead.”

He added that another 44 deaths had been reported in the community but “other possible causes” could be involved in these.

‘High fever, vomiting… and then death’

A Panzi resident, Claude Niongo, said his wife and seven-year-old daughter died from the disease.

“We do not know the cause but I only noticed high fevers, vomiting…and then death,” Niongo told The Associated Press

According to initial data, the unidentified disease particularly affects younger people and children, with 40 percent of cases among under fives.

The WHO said today that it was deploying experts to support health authorities, deliver medicines, diagnostic and sample collection kits.

The team will work with community leaders in disease surveillance and preventing further infections, WHO added in its announcement today.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said: “Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities.

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“All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the illness, understand its modes of transmission and ensure appropriate response as swiftly as possible.”

Access to the region is difficult by road and health infrastructure is lacking.

Residents also face a shortage of drinking water and medicine.

Just over 60 percent of people in the region suffer from malnutrition, especially children, making it one of the highest rates in the country, Mr Kamba added.

He said that the region had already suffered a serious typhoid fever epidemic two years ago.

Specialists have ruled out coronavirus but have concluded it is a disease that affects the respiratory system, the minister said.

WHO said respiratory pathogens such as influenza are being investigated as a possible cause, as well as malaria, measles and others.

Among the 27 deaths in health centres, 17 people died after suffering respiratory distress, the minister said.

Ten died from a lack of transfusion due to a state of severe anaemia.

The DRC has in recent months been also at the epicentre of an outbreak of mpox, with more than 1,000 deaths.

Should we be worried?

Dr Jake Dunning, senior research fellow and consultant in infectious diseases at the University of Oxford‘s Pandemic Sciences Institute, said: “I’d say there are multiple, potential infectious causes for this unidentified illness cluster, based on the symptoms described and descriptions of who is being affected the most, and there are some possible non-infectious causes too.

“Speculating about causes for unidentified illness events – which happen periodically, especially in African countries – is not helpful and can sometimes be harmful.”

He said a mystery bug causing sickness is “always of concern and worthy of investigation”.

Dr Dunning also cautioned against dubbing the mysterious illness as ‘Disease X’.

The name comes from WHO scientists and represents a hypotheticl pathogen that could emerge in future and cause a serious international epidemic or pandemic.

It was was added to the WHO’s list of nine priority diseases in 2018.

“Calling this incident a ‘Disease X’ outbreak; at this point is simply wrong and counterproductive,” said Dr Dunning.

Dr Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, added: “At time of writing, there is a huge amount of uncertainty about this outbreak.

“Outbreaks like this will happen many times around the world.

“Typically, they are brought under control without spreading too widely, and we may or may not ever find out the exact bug that caused the infections.

“This rural area in the DRC also means the public health response is more complicated.

“However, the country has had mpox and Ebola outbreaks in recent, so they are experienced at addressing infectious disease epidemics.”