Ghebreyesus, WHO director general: “There may be other diseases involved”
Research work continues on the mysterious disease that is bringing Congo to its knees, which had already had to deal with the Mpox virus with great difficulty in recent months. In recent days, various numbers have circulated on the mortality of this pathology: at the moment we are talking about 31 deaths out of 416 casesbut the number of deaths varies – positively or negatively – from day to day. Above all, the latest research may have taken a step forward about the form and cause of this mysterious disease: 83% of the initial samples collectedin fact, would have detected traces of malaria, but it may not be the only pathology involved in this health crisis.
The deaths among children
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The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesusexplained the latest developments of the disease that is spreading in Congo: “Of the 12 initial samples collected, 10 tested positive for malariaalthough it is possible that more than one disease is involved. Additional samples will be collected and analyzed to determine the exact cause or causes. At the moment the data speak of 416 reported cases and 31 deaths, many found in children under the age of 14 in the district of Panzi, in the western province of Kwango”.
Not just malaria
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Malaria, however, may not be solely responsible for this crisis. As Ghebreyesus specified, in fact: “It is possible that more than one disease is involved”. The situation is made even worse by the difficult social and health situation that Congo is experiencing: “Telecommunications are severely limited and access has been made more difficult by the rainy season. It took the national response team several days to reach Panzi. The area also suffers from high levels of malnutrition and low vaccination coverageleaving children vulnerable to a range of diseases including malaria, pneumonia and measles.”
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