The World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with investigations to determine the cause of a yet undiagnosed disease that has been reported in Panzi, a locality in Kwango Province in the southwest of the country, Xinhua reports.

The WHO experts are joining a DR Congo response team and are on their way to Panzi, the WHO regional office for Africa confirmed in a statement on Friday.

An initial local WHO team has been supporting the health authorities in Kwango since the end of November to reinforce disease surveillance and identify cases.

"Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities. All efforts are underway to identify the cause of the illness, understand its modes of transmission, and ensure appropriate response as swiftly as possible," said WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.

According to the DR Congo public health ministry, 394 cases and 30 deaths have been reported so far in the Panzi health zone. Some other reports indicate that the death toll is higher than that.

Symptoms of the illness include headache, cough, fever, breathing difficulties, and anemia.

A respiratory pathogen such as influenza or COVID-19 is being investigated as a possible cause, as well as malaria, measles, and others. Until laboratory test results are received, the cause remains unclear, said the WHO.

Panzi is a rural community located more than 700 kilometres from the capital of Kinshasa. Access by road is difficult, and the communication network is limited.

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The country has also been dealing with a severe outbreak of mpox. Between January and July this year, it recorded about 14,500 infections.

DR Congo has also dealt with bouts of Ebola over the years.