Mystery disease identified as severe malaria

Mystery disease identified as severe malaria - DRC health ministry

Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry said on Tuesday, 17 December, that a previously unidentified disease circulating in the country's Panzi health zone is a severe form of malaria.

An Anopheles stephensi mosquito obtains a blood meal from a human host through its pointed proboscis in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters, 23 November 2015. Reuters/Jim Gathany/CDC/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

Earlier this month, local authorities said the disease had killed 143 people in the southwestern Kwango province in November.

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"The mystery has finally been solved. It's a case of severe malaria in the form of a respiratory illness... and weakened by malnutrition," the health ministry said in a statement.

It also said that 592 cases had been reported since October with a fatality rate of 6.2%.