An “unknown disease” has reportedly killed 143 people in a rural part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, and anemia, but little is currently known about the illness. 

The deaths were recorded between November 10 and November 25 in the DRC’s Panzi health zone of Kwango province, the Associated Press (AP) reports. 

”A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” Rémy Saki, the deputy provincial governor, told AP on Tuesday.

Media reports say the World Health Organization (WHO) is aware of the situation and sent a team to collect samples along with local health services, although they are yet to release an official statement.

"Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines," civil society leader Cephorien Manzanza told Reuters.

A local epidemiologist reported that women and children seem to be the most severely affected by the disease. However, it is still too early to draw definitive conclusions about those most at risk.

To make matters worse, the country’s health system is currently under strain from the global mpox outbreak. This year, the DRC has reported more than 47,000 suspected mpox cases and more than 1,000 suspected deaths.