In Congo, over 50 people, including children who consumed a bat, have died from an unidentified illness.

According to data from the publication Associated Press, doctors from the World Health Organization reported that since the onset of the latest outbreak on January 21, 2025, there have been 419 confirmed cases, with 53 fatalities.

According to physicians, in most instances, death occurs just 48 hours after the first symptoms appear.

While researchers are trying to comprehend the situation, the African branch of WHO has traced the initial outbreak to the city of Boloko: three children consumed a bat carcass and died from nosebleeds and vomiting blood within two days.

This outbreak echoes the origins of the recent coronavirus pandemic, which is believed to have jumped to humans from bats and subsequently spread worldwide. As of the latest reports, over 6.8 million people have died from Covid-19.

The new unknown disease, as stated by WHO, poses a "significant threat to public health" and has a fatality rate of 12.3%. Laboratory analyses of samples have confirmed that the disease is not related to other common hemorrhagic fevers in Africa, such as Ebola and Marburg.