Orientale Province, DRC: 18 deaths due to unknown disease

[alert]

http://www.digitalcongo.net/article/74036

French to English translation
Eastern Province: nearly 18 deaths from a disease not yet identified in Dungu
Kisangani, 02.28.2011 / Health
Nearly eighteen deaths in less than two weeks due to a disease not yet identified in Dungu in Orientale Province, as the Surgeon General Hospital reference Dungu, Dr. Jean-Claude Amundala.
Eighteen deaths occurred in less than two weeks in the town of Duru, 88 km from Dungu in the district of Haut-Uele (North-eastern DRC) concern to health authorities in Orientale province that have not yet been established whether these deaths are due to unknown disease.

According to the Surgeon General Hospital reference Dungu, Dr. Jean-Claude Amundala, cited by Radiookapi.net, an investigation conducted last weekend by a team of physicians indicates that no specific pathology declared n ' has been identified in connection with the deaths.

Samples were collected on patients, however. We must wait to identify the exact cause of these eighteen deaths, "said Director of Nursing at the Hospital of Dungu, which is part of the investigation team.

"There is no specific pathology that could have killed all those eighteen people during that period. What is true is that the situation is very complicated Duru, including lack of drinking water, inadequate sanitation and medicines in health centers, "said Dr. Amundala.

The 18 deaths occurred between 7 and 18 February 2011, it says, were due to different apparent causes, including malaria, respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases. But what worries the public and health officials is the fact that they all occurred at a time so near, suggestive of an epidemic due to reasons not yet understood.

[alert]

Re: Orientale Province, DRC: 18 deaths due to unknown disease

Hemorrhagic symptoms with a high fatality rate (there is no mention of any other cases) in that area raise the possibility of an Ebola or Marburg outbreak, but the timing might be a bit off. Eighteen deaths in eleven days and then nothing further for nearly two weeks is not typical of such outbreaks, and might be more consistent with a poisoning.

No confirmed human Ebola or Marburg infections have been reported from anywhere in the world since January 1, 2009.

http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2011/02/21/duru-une-maladie-non-encore-identifiee-tue-18-personnes/

French to English translation
Duru: a disease not yet identified kills 18 people
February 21, 2011 under News, The One, Health.

- The town of Duru marked in red on the map.
- The town of Duru marked in red on the carte.Dix eight deaths were recorded, from 7 to 18 February 2011 in the town of Duru, 90 kilometers from the territory of Dungu. Initial information received by the office of the health zone Dungu reported bloody diarrhea. But an investigation conducted Saturday, Feb. 19 by a team of doctors declared indicates that no specific pathology has yet been identified in connection with the deaths.

This was suggested by Dr. Jean-Claude Amundala, Surgeon general hospital Dungu, quoting the director of nursing who was part of the investigation team.

Samples were taken from patients. We must wait to identify the exact cause of 18 deaths from Duru.
The source said it appeared that these deaths were due to different causes: malaria, respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases, among others.
"There is not a specific disease that killed all these eighteen people during that period. What is true is that the situation is very complicated Duru: lack of drinking water, inadequate sanitation and medicines in health centers, "said Dr. Jean-Claude Amundala.

According to him, action is already underway to equip health centers in the area of drugs.