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Infected people suffer from flu-like symptoms including a high fever and severe headaches, authorities said, with women and children the most severely affected. The outbreak, which began in November, has primarily affected the Panzi health zone, a rural area near Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) border with Angola.

Local authorities say a cough and anaemia have also been reported among patients. “This is extremely worrying as the number of cases is increasing,” said Cephorien Manzanza, a local civil society leader.

Rémy Saki, the deputy governor of Kwango province, and the country's Provincial Health Minister Apollinaire Yumba said many of the deaths had occurred in patients’ homes due to limited access to medical treatment. “Panzi is a rural health zone, so there is a problem with the supply of medicines,” Manzanza added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed it had been alerted to the situation last week and is working with the DRC’s public health ministry to investigate. A medical team has been sent to Panzi to collect samples and analyse the disease, with epidemiological experts expected to assist in identifying its cause. Health authorities are yet to release test results from the outbreak to rule out other common diseases.

Health Minister Yumba has advised people not to touch the bodies of those who died from the disease to avoid contamination. Meanwhile, Saki has urged international partners to send medical supplies to the region, where infrastructure challenges are exacerbating the crisis.