Global health experts are closely monitoring a mysterious disease that’s killed dozens of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the World Health Organization, at least 1,318 people have had symptoms of the illness and 53 have died.
Here’s what we know so far about the disease, its symptoms, and whether we should be concerned about a global outbreak.
Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo 2025
The World Health Organization believes the outbreak began in the village of Boloko after three children ate a bat and died within 48 hours, per the Associated Press. The children all had hemorrhagic fever symptoms, which include fever, vomiting and internal bleeding, the agency said.
The WHO identified a second outbreak last month in the town of Bomate. The agency tested patients for Ebola and Marburg, two aggressive viruses common to the region. Those samples came back negative, though some patients did test positive for malaria.
The last known death from the disease occurred on Feb. 22, per the WHO. “Deaths have occurred in all age groups, but adolescents and young adults, particularly males, appeared to be disproportionately affected in the initial cluster reported,” the agency said.
The disease appears to progress very rapidly, “with a median time from onset of symptoms to death of one day,” the WHO said.
What’s causing the disease in the Congo?
The WHO still can’t say for sure what’s causing the outbreak, although its “working hypotheses include chemical poisoning or a rapid onset of bacterial meningitis cluster” that’s impacting people already sick with malaria.
Last year, another fatal outbreak was reported in the country that initially confounded epidemiologists, but it was later determined to have been likely caused by malaria.
The WHO is working to track the spread of the mystery illness, but officials have assessed “the national and global public health risk” to be “low.”
A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told ABC that it’s currently “monitoring the situation closely” and engaging with Democratic Republic of Congo officials on what support the agency can offer.
