'Disease X' outbreak, WHO and many countries take urgent action

A mysterious infection, dubbed 'Disease X', has killed 79 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bloomberg reported on December 7.

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo are working around the clock to determine the cause of the outbreak.

The "Disease X" outbreak has affected hundreds of people and killed at least 79 since late October.

Of the 376 reported cases, nearly 200 involved children under the age of five, according to Jean Kaseya, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This disease has flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, cough, difficulty breathing.

The first case was detected on October 24 in the Panzi health district of Kwango province. The national government was informed on December 1. "We are almost five to six weeks behind. A lot can happen during this time. Testing will help us know what the problem is ," said Mr Kaseya.

The disease emerged during a flu outbreak and experts suspect it is airborne , according to Dieudonne Muamba, director general of the Democratic Republic of Congo's National Institute of Public Health.

Samples from the patient are being analyzed at the national laboratory in Kinshasa, located about 500 kilometers from the outbreak area.

A mysterious infection, 'disease X', is causing concern in many countries. (Photo: Bangkok Post).

Test results are expected within 48 hours and the cause of the illness may be determined a few days later.

The outbreak of "Disease X" has raised concerns about the emergence of a new pathogen capable of spreading around the world, just years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced countries to close their borders.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sent experts, essential medicines and diagnostic kits to Kwango province to support local authorities in understanding the transmission potential of "disease X".

So far, the disease has been reported in seven of the province's 30 health districts.

Earlier this year, a new strain of monkeypox spread around the world, forcing the WHO to declare a public health emergency, although the virus's spread outside Africa has been limited.

Thailand on alert

Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has called on all its offices to be vigilant about "disease X ," according to the Bangkok Post on December 6.

Thailand's Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Opas Kankawinpong said all health agencies have been asked to closely monitor and update information on the disease, although Thailand is considered a low-risk country.

Containment efforts are focusing on health checkpoints at border gates and airports, he added.

In Hong Kong (China ), Hong Kong International Airport has tightened screening measures for all flights from transit hubs in Africa since December 5.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that people limit travel to areas affected by the epidemic.