At least 79 people have died in southwestern Democratic Republic of Congo from an unknown disease that causes flu-like symptoms, the health ministry said.
The Health Ministry said most of the dead were between the ages of 15 and 18.
More than 300 people have been infected, with patients exhibiting symptoms such as fever, headache, runny nose and cough, shortness of breath and anemia.
Response teams have been sent to Kwango Province, specifically the Panji Health Zone, where the disease is most common, to manage cases and investigate the nature of the disease.
Sephorian Manzanja, a civil society leader, told Reuters news agency that the situation is alarming as the number of infected continues to rise.
He said that because Panji is a rural health sector, there is a problem in the supply of medicines.
An official in the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa region told the BBC it had “sent a team to a remote area to collect samples for lab investigations”.
Officials have urged people to remain calm and vigilant.
He urged people to wash their hands with soap, avoid mass gatherings and avoid touching the bodies of the dead without qualified health personnel.
Around 67 people fell ill and died between November 10 and 26, a local MP told Top Congo Radio.
“It should be noted that there is a shortage of medicines in Panji Hospital to deal with this epidemic. We really need help,” the MP said.
The Central African country is also facing a severe epidemic. Between January and July this year, they recorded around 14,500 infections.
DR Congo has faced outbreaks of Ebola for years.
