A mystery disease has killed over 50 people in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), doctors in the central African nation, and the World Health Organisation. 

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The disease was first reported after three children ate a bat, and claimed over 50 lives in just five weeks. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 431 cases were reported and 53 deaths in two outbreaks across remote villages in Equateur province as of February 16. 

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The interval between the onset of symptoms and death has been just 48 hours in the majority of cases, and "that's what's really worrying", Serge Ngalebato, medical director of Bikoro Hospital, a regional monitoring center, told The Associated Press on Monday.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms include fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding, with most patients dying within 48 hours of onset. 

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"The outbreaks, which have seen cases rise rapidly within days, pose a significant public health threat. The exact cause remains unknown," a WHO spokesperson said. 

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For long, there have been concerns about diseases jumping from animals to humans in places where wild animals are popularly eaten. 

Such outbreaks in Africa have surged by more than 60 per cent in the last decade. 

Notably, in 2024, another mystery flu-like illness killed more than 143 people in another part of Congo and was determined to be likely malaria.

The DRC has been witnessing many disease outbreaks in recent years, including typhoid, malaria, and anemia. 

According to the WHO, the country has also recently grappled with an Mpox outbreak, with more than 47,000 suspected cases and over 1,000 suspected deaths from the disease. 

(With inputs from agencies)