What’s the mysterious ‘crying disease’ that has claimed 60 lives in Congo?

A mysterious illness, known as the “crying disease,” has swept through Western Congo, infecting over 1,000 people and claiming 60 lives in the past few weeks.

Health officials have reported cases in two remote villages in Equateur province, separated by more than 190 km. But what has alarmed experts is the rapid progression of the disease as many victims have died within hours of showing symptoms, which includes excessive crying.

The World Health Organization has stated that it has “deepened” its investigation into the outbreak, as international concern grows over the unidentified illness.

Here’s what we know so far.

Crying disease takes over Congo

According to the AP, two remote villages in Congo—Boloko and Bomate—have reported a sudden surge in cases of a mysterious illness and over 60 deaths over the past month.

The outbreak was first recorded in Boloko, where three children died within 48 hours after consuming bat meat. Meanwhile, in Bomate, over 400 people were earlier reported to have fallen ill, with some testing positive for malaria.

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Both villages are located in different health zones of Equateur province and are separated by more than 120 miles (190 kilometres). Health officials remain uncertain whether the two outbreaks are linked or how the disease is spreading, including whether it is transmissible between people.

🚨 ALERT: Deadly Mystery Disease Spreading Fast in Congo 🚨

A fast-moving illness in the DRC has already killed over 50 people within hours of symptoms appearing. Victims suffer fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding—similar to Ebola, but tests have ruled it out. Over 400 cases… pic.twitter.com/3lcSdXIbZv

— Kristy Tallman (@KristyTallman) February 26, 2025

Investigators have traced the Boloko outbreak to the consumption of bat meat, but the situation in Bomate is more complex, with a wider range of symptoms, including malaria.

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Dr Serge Ngalebato, the medical director of Bikoro Hospital and a government expert leading the response, highlighted the differences between the two outbreaks. “The first village, with its high death rate, is being closely investigated as it’s an unusual situation, whereas in Bomate, we see a high number of malaria cases,” he told news agency.

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What are the symptoms of crying disease?

While the exact cause of the illness remains unknown, it has been named after its most distinctive symptom—persistent crying.

According to the Congolese Ministry of Health, around 80 per cent of affected individuals experience fever, chills, body aches, and diarrhoea. Other symptoms include joint and neck pain, excessive sweating, difficulty breathing, and extreme thirst, particularly in patients under 59 years old.

Children, however, have shown persistent crying as a primary symptom.

Local officials have described the outbreak as “really worrying,” according to the Daily Mail, while doctors outside Congo have also raised concerns due to the rapid deterioration of patients—many of whom have died within just 48 hours of developing symptoms.

Initially, health experts feared the illness could be a form of haemorrhagic fever, such as Ebola or Marburg virus. However, after testing multiple samples, the World Health Organization ruled out both diseases.

Investigators are now exploring other possible causes, including food or water poisoning, meningitis, viral haemorrhagic fevers, malaria, and typhoid fever.

Why is Congo at high risk of zoonotic epidemics?

The discovery that the first victims in Boloko had eaten bat meat has raised fresh concerns about zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans.

Congo, home to approximately 60 per cent of the Congo Basin’s rainforests, remains highly vulnerable to zoonotic epidemics. “These viruses have reservoirs in the forest, so as long as we have these forests, we will continue to face occasional epidemics with viruses that mutate,” Gabriel Nsakala, a public health professor at Congo’s National Pedagogical University told AP. Nsakala, who has worked on both Ebola and coronavirus response efforts in the country, warned that these outbreaks are unlikely to stop.

In its latest update, the WHO confirmed it has deployed a team of experts along with medical supplies, including testing kits, to the affected areas. However, the organisation did not specify the number of personnel sent.

Further, the remote location of villages, accessible only by road or the Congo River, is significantly limiting healthcare access, testing, and treatment efforts.

With input from agencies