2024 Kwango province malaria outbreak
| 2024 Kwango province disease outbreak | |
|---|---|
Location of the main impacted province, in red | |
| Disease | Malaria |
| Location | Kwango, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Dates | 24 October 2024 – ongoing |
| Suspected cases‡ | 1000 |
Deaths | 31–143 |
| ‡Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out. | |
An outbreak of a severe type of malaria began in October 2024 in the southwestern region of Kwango Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The cause of the outbreak was initially unidentified, raising concerns that it could be a novel pathogen and leading some to refer to it as "Disease X". The outbreak has been primarily in the Panzi rural health zone and prompted investigation by local and international health organizations. Estimates of fatalities vary from 31 to 143 fatalities by 5 December. On 5 December, the disease was reported as having spread to Katenda, also in the Kwango Province. On 10 December, the disease was reported to have spread to Mai-Ndombe Province. From 5–12 December, 147 new cases were reported, a 30 case increase from the week before.
On 17 December, Congo's health ministry confirmed the outbreak was caused by a severe form of malaria, worsened by malnutrition. Later reports suggested that influenza may also be contributing to the outbreak.