By Nakiwala Barbra
An Ohio hospital went into high alert after a patient, recently arrived from Tanzania, was admitted to the emergency room with flu-like symptoms.
The individual was quarantined when staff learned of their travel history, particularly since Tanzania borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where a mysterious disease outbreak has claimed the lives of up to 143 people and infected at least 376.
This morning, however, hospital officials confirmed that the patient’s illness was routine and unrelated to the DRC outbreak, leading to their release from isolation.
The incident underscores mounting global concerns about the outbreak in the DRC, described by Health Minister Roger Kamba as appearing to be “respiratory” in nature. Infected individuals exhibit flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, nasal discharge, coughing, difficulty breathing, and anemia.
Countries like Hong Kong have introduced health screenings for passengers arriving from Africa, and discussions are growing around similar measures in the U.S., where major cities like New York, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. receive daily flights from the continent.
A World Health Organization team is currently conducting tests in the DRC to identify the disease, with results expected in the coming days. Meanwhile, the situation has placed the DRC on “maximum alert” as health authorities work to contain the outbreak.
