Congo has faced a number of medical emergencies in the past (Image: Getty)
Health officials have revealed the terrifying symptoms of a disease that leaves most people dead within just 48 hours of their onset.
A mysterious illness is sweeping through parts of , which currently has infected over 400 people and killed more than 50.
The outbreak was first reported on January 21, when three under-five-year-old children in the town of Bokolo fell ill after eating a dead bat.
Officials said patients suffered from a haemorrhagic-like illness with symptoms of fever and vomiting, but then had major internal bleeding.
Health workers get ready to administer mpox vaccines in Goma (Image: Getty)
The three children aged under-5 also had diarrhoea and suffered from fatigue, according to reports.
Patients also complained of pain in the neck and joints, as well as shortness of breath and sweating.
Those aged under 59 suffered from intense thirst, while persistent crying was reported in children.
Health officials currently are none the wiser as to the cause of the outbreak, with patients testing negative for similar hemorrhagic fevers like and Marburg virus.
Tests revealed that roughly half the patients had malaria, similar to a separate outbreak in the country reported late last year.
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Many infected with the disease are also reported to be suffering from malnutrition.
Dr Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton in the UK, told the : “There is a huge amount of uncertainty about this outbreak.
“Outbreaks like this will happen many times around the world and are typically brought under control relatively quickly.
“However, here, it is concerning that we have hundreds of cases and over 50 deaths, with haemorrhagic-fever like symptoms widely reported among those cases.”
The (WHO) says it has not ruled out the possibility that the outbreak is being caused by a toxic agent as opposed to a virus or bacteria.
The UN agency warned: “Urgent action is needed to accelerate laboratory investigations, improve case management and isolation capacities, and strengthen surveillance and risk communication.
“The remote location and weak health care infrastructure increase the risk of further spread, requiring immediate high-level intervention to contain the outbreak.”