Disease

Measles – DR Congo

The number of measles fatalities in the world’s worst measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has topped 6,000, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The 6,000 deaths are part of the astounding 310,000 measles cases reported since January 2019. UN officials say this massive outbreak is due to multiple factors: low vaccination coverage among vulnerable communities, malnutrition, weak public health systems, outbreaks of other epidemic-prone diseases, difficult access by vulnerable populations to health care and insecurity that has hampered response in some areas.

Unidentified Virus – China

The unidentified viral illness that has sickened dozens in the Chinese city of Wuhan is not severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), according to local health officials. Oficials also confirmed that the mystery illness is not Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), bird flu or an adenovirus.

As of Sunday (Jan. 5), 59 people in Wuhan have been diagnosed with the unidentified disease, presenting with symptoms of fever, body aches, breathing difficulties and lung injury. The total number of infected people is up from the 44 cases reported last week.

In addition, 21 people who recently visited the city were hospitalized in Hong Kong between Dec. 31 and Jan. 6, according to a report from the Hong Kong health department.

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