Democratic Republic of Congo: At least 15 die of unidentified disease in one week - Equateur

[alert]

I'm not that sure that this isn't a hemorrhagic fever.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/apex/..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,83457

Archive Number 20100630.2183
Published Date 30-JUN-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed disease - Congo DR: (ET) RFI


UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: (EQUATEUR) REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION
**************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Sat 26 Jun 2010
Source: AfriScoop.com, Xinhua News Agency report [in French, trans., edited]
<http://www.afriscoop.net/journal/spip.php?breve3091>


Undiagnosed disease kills at least 15 in one week
-------------------------------------------------
According to local sources on Friday [25 Jun 2010], since the beginning of
this week [20 Jun 2010], some 20 cases and at least 15 deaths of an
unidentified disease have been reported in Songo, which is located 12 km
[7.5 mi] from Basankusu, the main town in the district of Equateur,
Equateur province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Sources from the Equateur
health district in Basankusu indicated that the disease is manifested by
fever, headache, abdominal cramps, and vomiting, without additional comment
for reasons of confidentiality.

Currently, the hospital in Songo is treating 6 cases, 2 of whom are
children under 10 years of age. Other cases have sought refuge in local
churches believing that cause of the illness is witchcraft because of the
rapidity of death of the victims. Boniface Awenze, the Equateur District
commissioner stated, however, that medical teams had been dispatched to the
area to investigate the situation. "We are adopting 2 approaches. The 1st
is a legal approach to investigate the allegations of witchcraft, and the
2nd is to mobilize a medical team comprising the area medical officer and
the nurses in the area already treating the patients to carry out the
medical investigation and determine whether it is an epidemic." He added
that until the investigation has been completed, people should observe the
advice of the medical team now deployed in the field in order to prevent
the spread of the disease to other localities.

--
communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Further information from the area would be appreciated. The description of
the illness does not allow a diagnosis, but suggests that it is not an
outbreak of the hemorrhagic fevers which have afflicted this region in the
past.

A map of the Democratic Republic of Congo, showing the location of Equateur
province can be accessed at
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/democratic-republic-of-congo/maps/democratic-republic-of-congo-political-map.jpg>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the Congo DR can be accessed
at <http://healthmap.org/r/01Cq>. - Mod.CP]

.................cp/mj/sh

 

[alert]

Re: DR Congo: At least 15 die of unidentified disease in one week

Re: DR Congo: At least 15 die of unidentified disease in one week

With this symptomatic description, and 14 fatalities in the first 20 cases, this really sounds like it is a hemorrhagic fever. Previous Ebola outbreaks have often not featured hemorrhagic symptoms in the initial description.

These articles are both five days old already, with nothing more recent published. Odd.

http://radiookapi.net/actualite/201...onnes-meurent-d’une-maladie-inconnue-a-songo/

French to English translationShow romanization

Basankusu: Fourteen people die of unknown disease in Songo
June 25, 2010 under News, Health, Society, Ecuador. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.

A still unidentified disease has been raging since the beginning of the week in Songo, located 12 kilometers from the city of Basankusu in the district of Ecuador. Fifteen people died and ten patients are recorded, according to the Surgeon of the health district of Ecuador. But for reasons related to ethics, the doctor refuses to comment on this point.
The district commissioner of Ecuador, Boniface Awenze, said medical teams were dispatched to the scene to investigate the situation. The same source indicates that the disease is manifested by headache, diarrhea, abdominal colic and fever. He said Thursday at Radio Okapi:

"According to statistics, we have fourteen deaths and six patients. Among these six patients, two children hospitalized, and four adults who fled the hospital to the churches "

According to the District Commissioner, the decedents had all the signs of the disease not yet identified. He continues:

"We have developed two tracks. There is a track legal because of suspicion about people who allegedly used witchcraft [to kill the victims]. On the other hand, we have mobilized a medical team consisting of Medical Officer of Health area and nurses. This team is already on the ground to conduct medical investigations and see if it is an epidemic. "

Until appropriate solutions, Boniface Awenze asking the public to observe the advice of the medical team deployed on the ground and prevent the spread of this disease in other localities.

Copyright Radio Okapi