On Dec. 3, 2024, Congolese officials reported that a flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo. The deaths were recorded between Nov. 10 and Nov. 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province.

Symptoms include fever, headache, cough and anaemia, provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba told reporters. The deputy provincial governor told The Associated Press that between 67 and 143 people had died.

Congo is already plagued by the mpox epidemic, with more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease in the Central African country, according to the World Health Organization.