An unidentified disease that has killed dozens in the Djera, Tshuapa district of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the past month is not Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), according to a World Health Organization spokesman.

WHO officials arrived in the DRC Wednesday to investigate the mystery disease that has taken at least 65 lives, which is characterized by severe diarrhea, fever and vomiting, according to a  Radio Okapi report yesterday (computer translated).

Included in the deaths is at least four health care workers.

Teams of WHO and the health zone Boende, rushed to the scene, took samples which are being analyzed at the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa. Pending the results of the examinations, the Minister Felix Kabange Numbi pledged to send another team of doctors in the health area of ​​Djera, about twenty miles of Boende.

Head of Public Relations/Social Media for the WHO, Gregory Härtl tweeted yesterday,”It is febrile gastroenteritis with haemorrhaging.” “DRC is definitely not “. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page

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