Undiagnosed Disease in the DRC Situation Report #1
- Emergency Manager's Weekly Report
- Dec 13, 2024
- 1 min read
Highlights:
• The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported the following as of December 9th:
o 527 total cases and 32 deaths. These cases and deaths have been reported in the Kwango Province of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
o Most cases are reported among children, particularly those under five years old.
o The area affected is rural and remote, with access further hindered by the ongoing rainy season. Reaching it by road takes an estimated 48 hours.
o These challenges, coupled with limited diagnostics in the region, have delayed the identification of the underlying cause.
o Given the clinical presentation and symptoms reported, and several associated deaths, acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles and malaria are being considered as potential causal factors with malnutrition as a contributing factor.
• The area experienced deterioration in food insecurity in recent months, has low vaccination coverage and very limited access to diagnostics and quality case management.
• Rapid response teams have been deployed to identify the cause of the outbreak and strengthen the response:
o The teams are collecting samples for laboratory testing, providing a more detailed clinical characterization of the detected cases, investigating the transmission dynamics, and actively searching for additional cases, both within health facilities and at the community level.
o These teams are also aiding with the treatment of patients, risk communication and community engagement.
• Risk Assessment:
o Affected Communities in the DRC: High
o National Level: Moderate
o Regional and Global Levels: Low
Sources:
• Disease Outbreak News, Undiagnosed disease - Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Who African Region Twitter Page
• Africa CDC Twitter Page
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