Russian Watchdog Monitoring Situation With Hypothetical Deadly 'Disease X' In DR Congo

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd January, 2021) The Russian public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, is investigating all sources and reports on the emergence and incidence of a new potentially deadly "Disease X" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the watchdog's press service told Sputnik on Sunday.

On December 31, the CNN broadcaster reported that scientist Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, who helped discover the Ebola virus, warned of the hypothetical new disease, which could lead to outbreaks around the world. According to the World Health Organization, "X" stands for "unexpected." One of Tamfum's patients in the DRC developed early symptoms of hemorrhagic fever but tested negative for Ebola and other known diseases.

"Rospotrebnadzor is studying all sources and publications on the topic that relate to the incidence of the disease in the Congo," Rospotrebnadzor said.