An agent from the international NGO Alima educates a family about the fight against the mpox epidemic in Kamituga, South Kivu province, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sept. 21, 2024. GLODY MURHABAZI/AFP/Getty

Congo's health minister said Thursday the country's government was on alert over a mystery flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people in recent weeks, nearly half of whom were children. Authorities have so far confirmed 71 deaths, including 27 people who died in hospitals and 44 in the community in the southern Kwango province, health minister Roger Kamba said.

"The Congolese government is on general alert regarding this disease," Kamba said, without providing more details.

Of the victims who were hospitalized, 10 died due to a lack of blood transfusions and 17 as a result of respiratory problems, Kamba said.

Authorities have said symptoms of the illness include fever, headache, cough and anemia. Epidemiological experts were in the region to take samples and investigate the disease, the health minister said.

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.

Authorities in the country began vaccinating people against mpox in October, nearly two months after the outbreak that spread from Congo to several African countries and beyond was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization.

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