80% of samples tested for Congo virus are positive for malaria

The mysterious disease that has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) appears to have a direct correlation with malaria. At a press conference in Geneva, World Health Organization (WHO) Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that of the 12 initial samples collected, 10 tested positive for malaria. In the as-yet unidentified disease affecting the Panzi district in the western province of Kwango (DRC), 416 confirmed cases and 31 deaths have been reported thus far. The majority of cases and fatalities occur in children under the age of 14. The geographic region impacted by the disease is characterized by elevated rates of malnutrition and low vaccination coverage, rendering children susceptible to a multitude of illnesses including malaria, pneumonia, measles, and other diseases, Gebreyesus noted. It is plausible that multiple diseases may be the underlying cause. On-site, a WHO mission will collect further biological samples for analysis to determine the precise aetiology, the WHO Director stated.