Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Over 70 people have been killed by a mysterious flu-like disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Roger Kamba, the country’s health minister, said authorities have so far confirmed 71 deaths, including 27 people who died in hospitals and 44 in the community in the southern Kwango province.

He said of the victims at the hospitals, 10 died due to lack of blood transfusion and 17 as a result of respiratory problems.

Kamba said symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, cough and anemia.

The minister said the deaths were recorded from November 10 to 25 in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province.

He added that there were around 380 cases, and said epidemiological experts are in the region to take samples and investigate the disease.

“The Congolese government is on general alert regarding this disease,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), says it recorded slightly different numbers, with 376 cases and 79 deaths.

Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa CDC, said the discrepancy was caused by problems with surveillance and case definition.

He said more details about the disease should be known in the next 48 hours as experts receive results from laboratory samples of infected people.

“First diagnostics are leading us to think it is a respiratory disease,” Kaseya said.

“But we need to wait for the laboratory results. There are so many things we don’t know” about the disease — including whether it is infectious and how it is transmitted.”