At least 30 people have died from an unknown illness in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Friday.
The illness shows symptoms similar to those of the flu, including fevers, headaches, breathing difficulties, and anaemia.
There are 394 reported cases of people showing symptoms of the illness around Panzi, according to the WHO. Panzi is a rural region in the southwest of the country, in Kwango, around 700km away from the capital.
Since the end of November, a local WHO team has been supporting Kwango's health authorities in the surveillance of the disease and identifying cases.
The WHO is now deploying a team of experts to join the National Rapid Response Team in Panzi. The team will help with collecting samples for testing and providing treatment for patients.
The medical experts will also work with community leaders to promote measures to prevent infection and improve disease surveillance.
Laboratory tests are being conducted to determine the cause. Possible causes such as malaria, measles, or Covid-19 are being investigated.
There is currently no information regarding travel advice to the DRC or the possible risk level for the spread of the disease to Belgium.
