(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 9 - Health ministry and Higher Health Institute (ISS) experts met Monday to discuss the case of a man from Lucca who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo with symptoms similar to those of a mystery disease that has killed over 30 people in the southwest of the African country.
    Also on Monday, NAS health police took samples belonging to the man, who was recently discharged after recovering from the disease at a hospital in the Tuscan city, and took them to the ISS for analysis.
    It is not yet 100% sure that the man had the disease that is affecting part of the DRC.
    The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday that there had been 406 cases of the so-far undiagnosed condition in the DRC, and 31 deaths for unknown causes.
    Between 24 October and 5 December 2024, the WHO said in its update ion the situation, the Panzi Health Zone in Kwango Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded 406 cases of an undiagnosed disease with symptoms of fever, headache, cough, runny nose and muscle aches.
    All severe cases were reported as severely malnourished.
    There were 31 deaths, according to the WHO situation update.
    Most of the cases were children, under the age of 5.
    The area is rural and remote, with access further hampered by the rainy season.
    It takes 48 hours to reach it from Kinshasa by road.
    The WHO said further that more than one disease may have contributed to the 31 deaths in the DRC.
    It said laboratory tests are underway to determine the exact cause of the disease reported in Congo but "at this stage, it is also possible that more than one disease is contributing to the cases and deaths". The new WHO bulletin on the situation in the African country also reports that "malaria is a common disease in this area and could be the cause or contributor to the cases".
    Some known diseases could therefore have contributed to the deaths of patients in Congo.
    These include "acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles and malaria" as potential factors with malnutrition. (ANSA).