Officials in the Congo say that a new “hemorrhagic-like illness” has killed at least 50 people.
The disease is not Marburg virus or Ebola because patients tested negative for that. It does seem to be “hemorrhagic-like” with symptoms including fever, vomiting and internal bleeding. In children, doctors say they experience “persistent crying.”
This is from The Daily Mail: “In a local health department report, officials added that the first three cases, in children under five who reportedly ate a dead bat, also suffered from diarrhea and fatigue.”
Somebody get these children something else to eat! Persistent hunger is a problem in Congo due to government corruption, among other factors. Reportedly, about half of the patients were malnourished and also tested positive for malaria.
So are you safe if you don’t eat bats? Or is this something that could spread from person-to-person? The WHO says it could be but there is also cause to be cautious. We have no idea how they are testing or confirming this disease nor do we know how reliable those tests are.
