Health Officials Say Mysterious Illness In Congo Could Be Malaria

The AP (12/11, Kamale) reports health authorities said Wednesday that the “mystery flu-like illness that has killed dozens of people in southwest Congo in recent weeks might be malaria.” The AP quotes Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, director-general of the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, saying, “Of the 12 samples taken, nine were positive for malaria but these samples were not of very good quality, so we are continuing to research to find out if this is an epidemic. But it is very likely that it is malaria because most of the victims are children.”