Health

(NEW YORK) — The Mediterranean diet — which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains — has once again topped U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking of best diets.

The publication on Friday named the diet the best overall diet for the eighth year in a row.

The Mediterranean diet scored a 4.8 out of 5 based on an evaluation of several factors, including nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability and evidence-based effectiveness, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The diet also scored the top spot in 11 additional categories in the publication’s annual rankings, including easiest-to-follow, gut health, weight loss and mental health.

The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which focuses on whole foods and low sodium, was ranked second on the Best Diets list, followed by the Flexitarian, MIND and Mayo diets. All of the top five diets embrace a plant-forward philosophy, minimizing the intake of red meats, processed foods, inflammatory fats, high-sugar foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, rather than enforcing strict rules or banning entire food groups.

If you’re looking to start the Mediterranean diet, here is what you need to know.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is not one way of eating but a broad term used to describe the eating habits popularized in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea including Italy, Greece, Morocco, Spain and Lebanon.

The way of eating focuses on the quality of foods consumed rather than focusing on a single nutrient or food group, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Nutrition experts say there’s no one diet that will work for everyone. Certain diets may be more beneficial depending on your circumstances, and some may be harmful depending on your health conditions. Anyone considering changes to their diet should consult with their doctor.

What types of foods are eaten on the Mediterranean diet?

Overall, the diet is mostly plant-based and focuses on healthy fats.

Healthy fats emphasized in the Mediterranean diet include extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts, salmon and sardines, according to the American Heart Association.

All types of vegetables and fruits are encouraged on the diet, as are non-meat sources of protein like beans and other legumes.

Fish is encouraged at least twice weekly and other animal proteins like poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt are encouraged in smaller portions. Red meat consumption is should be limited to a few times a month.

The main source of hydration should be water.

Are any foods prohibited?

No, the Mediterranean diet does not totally eliminate any foods or food groups.

However, it is recommended to limit foods such as butter, processed foods like frozen meals and candy, and refined grains and oils. Fruits are encouraged for dessert over sugary sweets.

U.S. News and World Report describes the diet as leaving “little room for the saturated fat, added sugars and sodium that inundate the standard American diet.”

What are the health benefits?

According to U.S. News and World Report, “People who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have longer lifespans, report a higher quality of life and are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”

In a study of over 60,000 people, those who followed the Mediterranean diet more closely had a lower risk of dementia, regardless of genetic risk.

The American Heart Association says the Mediterranean diet can “play a big role” in preventing heart disease and stroke and reducing risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Consuming virgin olive oil, in particular, may help the body “remove excess cholesterol from arteries and keep blood vessels open,” according to the AHA.

Citing research, the Mayo Clinic touts the Mediterranean diet as a way to help maintain a healthy weight, improve brain health, increase longevity, support a healthy gut and lower the risk of certain cancers.

Dr. Brent Gawey, a member of the ABC News Medical Unit, contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Federal health officials have begun collecting samples of aged raw cow’s milk cheese across the U.S. to test for bird flu, the Food and Drug Administration announced.

Sample collection started at the end of this month and is expected to be completed by the end of March 2025, the FDA said Monday. If needed, the agency said it will extend the collection period.

It comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a federal order earlier this month that raw milk samples nationwide would be collected and shared with the agency to be tested for bird flu.

The FDA said it plans to collect 300 samples of raw cow’s milk cheese that has been aged for at least 60 days from warehouses and distribution centers across the country.

Samples will be tested with a PCR test, which looks for genetic material from the virus, and will be completed within one week of collection, according to the FDA. Samples that indicate the presence of the virus will undergo viability testing.

Viability testing will be done by injecting part of the virus into an embryonated egg and analyzing if it grows or multiplies.

Raw milk cheese is made with unpasteurized milk. In the U.S., cheese can be made from raw milk but must be aged a minimum of 60 days to lessen the risk of any pathogens that may be present, per the FDA.

Samples that test positive for viable virus will be “evaluated on a case-by-case basis,” the FDA said, and the agency may issue actions “such as a recall, follow-up inspection or other possible responses to protect public health.”

The FDA has previously warned of the dangers of drinking raw milk, which does not undergo pasteurization — a process that kills viruses and bacteria. The agency currently considers unpasteurized soft and hard cheeses, as well as other products made from unpasteurized milk, a “high-risk choice.”

Past studies from federal health officials have shown that pasteurization effectively kills the bird flu virus. Nearly all, or 99%, of the commercial milk supply produced on dairy farms in the U.S. follows a national pasteurization program.

Pasteurization has been a practice in the U.S. for more than 100 years and kills harmful bacteria and viruses by heating milk to a specific temperature over time, the FDA notes.

The U.S. has been facing an outbreak of bird flu, or avian influenza, since April, when the first human case was reported.

As of Tuesday, 66 human cases have been confirmed in seven states, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. California has the highest number of cases with 36.

Almost all confirmed cases have had direct contact with infected cattle or infected livestock. Most bird flu cases in the U.S. have been mild, and patients have typically recovered after receiving antiviral medication.

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(NEW YORK) — Respiratory illness activity – a measure of how often conditions like the common cold, flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus are diagnosed – is currently “high” in the United States, according to an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Currently, New Hampshire is listed as having “very high” respiratory virus activity, and 11 states – Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin – are listed as having “high” activity, CDC data shows.

Meanwhile, 29 states are listed as having “moderate” activity, and the remaining states are listed as having “low” activity.

Particularly, COVID-19, seasonal flu and RSV activity are increasing across the country with a rising number of people visiting emergency departments and the number of tests coming back positive for one of the three conditions, the CDC said.

The CDC estimates that there have been at least 3.1 million illnesses, 37,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths from flu so far this season; these figures are based on the latest date for which data is available, which is the week ending Dec. 21.

Five pediatric deaths were reported during the week of Dec. 21, bringing the total number to nine so far during the 2024-25 season.

The CDC says levels of the COVID-19 virus being detected in wastewater are increasing, as are the number of emergency department visits and laboratory test positivity rates.

“Based on CDC modeled estimates of epidemic growth, we predict COVID-19 illness will continue to increase in the coming weeks as it usually does in the winter,” the CDC said in a statement.

For RSV, the CDC said emergency department visits and hospitalizations are increasing among children and hospitalizations are increasing among older adults in some areas.

Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available for both children and adults, and RSV vaccines are available for certain groups of adults. However, vaccination coverage remains low, meaning “many children and adults lack protection from respiratory virus infections provided by vaccines,” according to the CDC.

As of Dec. 21, only 41.9% of adults were vaccinated against the flu and 21.4% were vaccinated with the updated 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, just 43.7% of adults ages 75 and older have received the RSV vaccine, according to CDC data.

Nearly half of all children are vaccinated against the flu at 42.5%, but just 10.3% have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

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(NEW YORK) — Cases of norovirus appear to be on the rise in various parts of the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More than 90 norovirus outbreaks were reported during the week of Dec. 5, the most recent week for which data is available, according to the CDC.

CDC data from previous years for the same December week show a maximum of 65 outbreaks reported.

National CDC data reflects what has been reported in state and counties across the country.

In Minnesota, more than 40 outbreaks were reported in December, almost twice the usual number, according to the state Department of Health.

Earlier this month, an event celebrating the top restaurants in Los Angeles left at least 80 people sickened with norovirus, which was linked to raw oysters, the county’s Department of Public Health confirmed to ABC News.

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that is the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation of the inside lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Although it’s often referred to as the “stomach bug” or “stomach flu,” norovirus illness is not related to influenza.

Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., causing 58% of foodborne illnesses each year, according to the CDC.

The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. Patients, however, can also experience fever, headaches and body aches.

According to the federal health agency, every year the virus causes between 19 and 21 million illnesses, 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths.

A person can become infected by having direct contact with someone who is infected and sharing food or utensils with them; touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then touching their face or mouth; or consuming contaminated foods or liquids.

Typically, an infected person will develop symptoms between 12 to 48 hours after being infected. However, norovirus typically resolves quickly and, in most healthy adults, lasts one to three days, according to the CDC.

There is no specific medication or antiviral for norovirus, meaning the only treatment available is managing symptoms.

The CDC recommends staying hydrated and drinking liquids that replenish electrolytes, which can be depleted through diarrhea and vomiting.

Although symptoms will resolve in a few days for most people, certain groups are at high risk for severe dehydration including those under age 1, the elderly and the immunocompromised.

Health experts say the best way to prevent getting norovirus is to wash hands with warm soap and water for 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer does not work well against norovirus.

The CDC says people should wash their hands after using the toilet or changing diapers as well as when eating, preparing or handling food.

To prevent contamination from food, make sure fruits and vegetables are washed, and that shellfish is cooked to at least an internal temperature of 145 F.

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(NEW YORK) — Three states — Louisiana, Kentucky and New Hampshire — are reporting high levels of respiratory illness, including common cold, flu, RSV and COVID, according to the CDC. In addition, children under four are currently experiencing the highest levels of RSV hospitalizations.

Dr. Neil C. Bhavsar, an emergency medicine resident at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit, said that those illnesses come out “roaring” at this time of year because people are staying indoors, coming from all over and spending time with family.

He wants people to know the severity of their illness and where to go so it’s best treated, he said.

“Urgent Care is a quick fix,” Bhavsar said. Typically, it’s best for non-life-threatening conditions that are addressed within 30 minutes to a few hours.

“The ER or the emergency department is for serious injuries, life-threatening illness or something that can become very serious,” he said.

He explains that respiratory illnesses may take a few days to figure out.

“When we’re talking about respiratory illnesses, I would say, if you’re not feeling too well for like two to three days, have a low grade fever, a cough that’s been lingering for a little bit longer than you want, some facial pressure, sinus pressure, congestion, urgent care is your friend,” Bhavsar said.

But he warns that if “your fingertips are blue, your lips are blue, you’re feeling short of breath and you have chest pain” to go to the emergency department. Any child with these symptoms, especially trouble breathing, should be evaluated in an emergency room.

For upper respiratory illnesses, Bhavsar urges people to stay hydrated.

“Drink warm fluids, soup, broths, hot teas, you can try a nasal spray for congestion and honey is a big thing we’ve been doing for a sore throat or a cough,” Bhavsar said. But he warns honey should never be given to infants or anyone less than a year old due to the risk of a severe illness called botulism.

He also recommends steam inhalation and over-the-counter decongestants for respiratory illnesses, but these should not be used for more than 3-5 days in a row.

In addition, Bhavsar said ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help with body aches and chills. Always follow dosing instructions, ages for use, and consult with a physician if uncertain on how to take any these medications.

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Los Angeles County health officials reported the first human case of bird flu in the area less than a week after a statewide emergency declaration was announced.

In a statement released on Monday, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said the human case of H5 bird flu was detected in an adult who was exposed to livestock infected with the virus at a worksite.

The unnamed adult had mild symptoms, has been treated with antivirals and is recovering at home, according to the agency.

“The overall risk of H5 bird flu to the public remains low,” health officials said.

There are at least 65 confirmed human cases of bird flu nationally — with at least 36 in California, according to the CDC.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Dec. 18 as bird flu cases were detected in dairy cows on Southern California farms. The virus had also been previously detected in the state’s Central Valley.

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said in a statement last week.

Symptoms of bird flu in humans include eye redness or discharge, fever, cough or difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle or body aches, diarrhea and vomiting, according to health officials.

Individuals working with infected animals, including cows, poultry or wildlife, continue to be at higher risk of exposure to the virus.

“People rarely get bird flu, but those who interact​ with infected livestock or wildlife ​have a greater risk of infection. This case reminds us to take basic precautions to prevent being exposed,” Los Angeles County health officer Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, said in the statement Monday.

“People should avoid unprotected contact with sick or dead animals including cows, poultry, and wild birds; avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products, such as raw milk; and protect pets and backyard poultry from exposure to wild animals,” Davis added.

The health official also recommended getting the seasonal flu vaccine “which can help prevent severe seasonal flu illness and lower the risk of getting both seasonal and bird flu infections at the same time if exposed.”

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(NEW YORK) — From a pig kidney transplant to restoring genetic deafness, 2024 was a year full of medical breakthroughs.

The breakthroughs include the discovery of a cause of an autoimmune disease, the development of a “game-changing” drug and potential hope for those experiencing end-stage organ failure.

Here are five of the biggest highlights in medical achievements this year:

Gene therapy restores hearing in children

Children with hereditary deafness regained their hearing thanks to a type of gene therapy, according to the results of a clinical trial published in the medical journal The Lancet in January.

Investigators from Mass Eye and Ear, a specialty hospital in Boston, examined six children who had a form of genetic deafness called DFNB9, which is caused by a gene mutation that interferes with the transmission of sound signals from the ear to the brain.

Gene therapy involved the use of an inactive virus carrying a functioning version of the gene, which was introduced into the inner ears of the six children.

After 26 weeks, five of the six children recovered their hearing and could even conduct “normal conversation.”

“Children with this genetic hearing loss…the only treatment option for them until now is [a] cochlear implant,” Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen, an associate scientist in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear and study co-investigator, told ABC News. “And of course, [a] cochlear implant can help them tremendously, but it’s with its own limitations.”

“But with this gene therapy, the children regain hearing, and they were able to speak. So, in a way, the life is totally transformed,” he continued. “This study really opened up the whole field that, in the future, we’ll be able to develop a treatment for other [types] of genetic hearing loss, for which there is no treatment at all at the moment.”

Groundbreaking animal organ transplant

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) conducted the world’s first genetically-edited pig kidney transplant into a living human in March 2024.

During a four-hour procedure, a surgical team connected the pig kidney’s blood vessels and ureter – the duct that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder – with those of 62-year-old Richard Slayman, a man living with end-stage kidney disease.

“For patients with kidney failure, we know that transplantation is the best treatment option, but unfortunately, we face an immense organ shortage,” Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director of kidney transplantation at MGH, told ABC News. “So, we have over 100,000 patients waiting for a kidney transplant in the U.S., and more than 17 patients die every day on the waiting list.”

“So, the idea here is, how can we overcome this organ shortage barrier? And having kidneys from another species that could be delivered in a timely manner for these patients once they develop kidney failure could be game-changing for the entire field,” he added.

Slayman passed away in May of this year, but there is no evidence it was the result of the transplant, according to MGH.

Riella said over the course of Slayman’s care, much was learned about how to best deliver care when using animal organs for transplants in the hopes of making the treatment more widely available to patients waiting for a new organ.

A cause of lupus discovered

A team at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Northwestern Medicine said they have discovered a cause of the autoimmune disease lupus and a possible way to reverse it.

Lupus sees the body’s immune system mistakenly attack its own healthy cells and tissues, which can cause inflammation and damage in organs or systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a study, published in the journal Nature in July, researchers compared blood samples from 19 lupus patients to 19 patients without the condition and found imbalances in the types of T-cells lupus patients produce.

T-cells are a certain type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the body’s immune response to the disease.

“We’ve identified a fundamental imbalance in the immune responses that patients with lupus make, and we’ve defined specific mediators that can correct this imbalance to dampen the pathologic autoimmune response,” co-corresponding author Dr. Deepak Rao, a rheumatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and co-director of its Center for Cellular Profiling, said in a press release at the time.

1st new class of schizophrenia drug in more than 3 decades

In September, the FDA approved the first new class of drug to treat people with schizophrenia in more than 30 years.

The pill, called Cobenfy – manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb – combines two drugs, xanomeline and trospium chloride, and is taken twice a day.

Clinical trials showed the combination helped manage schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking.

Dr. René Kahn, chair of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said it took many years to develop the first medications for schizophrenia, which are effective in preventing psychosis and work by blocking dopamine receptors.

“Blocking the dopamine receptor directly or indirectly is very unpleasant. Sometimes for patients, they can have unpleasant side effects. It can decrease their energy, it can make them feel depressed, and it can give them Parkinsonian side effects,” Kahn told ABC News.

He described Cobenfy as “game-changing in the sense that this is the first drug that doesn’t directly – with the emphasis on directly – influence the dopamine system and certainly doesn’t block dopamine receptors. So that’s very important, because it may show that we don’t have to directly block or affect the dopamine system but can do that through a different mechanism.”

Kahn said the next step will be monitoring the drug as it is prescribed to thousands of schizophrenia patients to ensure it works and that side effects are minimal.

1st over-the-counter combo flu and COVID test outside of emergency use

The FDA authorized the first over-the-counter combination COVID-19 and flu test outside of emergency use in October.

The Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test can be purchased at a pharmacy or other stores without a prescription.

While there are other over-the-counter combination tests currently available, this is the first to be marketed to consumers using the traditional approval pathway outside of a public health emergency, according to the FDA.

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(NEW YORK) — The FDA has expanded the approval of Eli Lilly’s obesity medication Zepbound to include treating moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea for people with obesity — the first medication approved for the condition.

The new, expanded Zepbound approval means that insurance providers, including Medicare, will likely cover the medication for people with sleep apnea and obesity. Some insurance providers, including Medicare, do not offer reimbursement to treat obesity alone.

The new approval is for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who are also living with obesity. Eli Lilly estimates that is about 15-20 million adults in the U.S.

Obstructive sleep apnea isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a serious medical condition that impairs breathing and sleep quality. Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea are linked. People tend to see their obstructive sleep apnea get better when they lose a significant amount of weight. It’s likely the weight loss associated with the medication is helping improve the sleep apnea.

Right now, there is no medicine to treat obstructive sleep apnea — it’s only treated with a positive airway pressure device.

In a study, people who took Zepbound had at least 25 fewer breathing interruptions per hour while they slept. They also lost an average of 20% of their body weight.

The study also followed people over a year, and found that up to half of the adults taking Zepbound no longer had obstructive sleep apnea symptoms at the end of the year.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men than women. Up to 34% of U.S. men have OSA compared to 17% of U.S. women, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Common signs of sleep apnea include heavy snoring at night, long pauses in breathing while sleeping as well as excessive daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness and morning headaches. The symptoms of the disorder can lead to significant medical problems.

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(NEW YORK) — Nearly 12 years ago, Jessie Owen’s life changed forever.

“My family was going over a mountain pass and a tree fell on our car. In that moment, my parents passed away, my siblings were severely injured, and I became quadriplegic,” Owen said. “I lost my independence. I lost my job. I lost my apartment. I lost my autonomy and the life that I dreamed for myself.”

Like Owen, more than 300,000 people live with spinal cord injuries in the United States, with an estimated 18,000 new cases each year, data shows.

Motor vehicle accidents account for the majority of spinal cord injuries and are closely followed by falls, acts of violence and sports activities, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.

For years, options for recovery have been limited, but a newly FDA-cleared external spinal stimulator, ARC-EX Therapy, which received clearance on Dec. 19, may offer hope for people like Owen.

“ARC-EX is simply electrodes attached to skin on the back of the neck,” explained Chet Moritz, M.D., a professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington. “It allows us to pass current through the skin to activate the sensory nerves as they enter the spinal cord. Now, those sensory nerves make direct connections to the motor nerves which help people to move.”

Owen, who participated in the Up-LIFT study, a clinical trial focusing on the health benefits of ARC-EX Therapy, saw a life-changing impact.

“I was wildly surprised and pleased to see that it was making meaningful change in my life. I can now paint with my hands. I can open a jar of peanut butter. I can tie my shoes. It [used to] take me 30 minutes to get dressed. Now it takes 12. [I used to require] 20 caregiving hours a week and I was able to move down to about eight.”

The Up-LIFT study produced promising results.

Of the 60 patients with cervical spinal cord injuries studied, 72% saw improvements in hand strength and function. Participants also reported fewer muscle spasms, better sleep, less pain, and improved independence during daily activities.

“The success of [this] study of people with spinal cord injuries is phenomenal,” noted Moritz. “There are essentially no current therapies for chronic spinal cord injury, and so having the majority of patients respond in both strength and function measures [is] just an outstanding result.”

With FDA approval, ARC-EX Therapy is expected to become more accessible.

“Patients can work with their local rehabilitation clinics to see a therapist and work with them in the clinic at first to tune the device,” Moritz said. Results may appear quickly — some participants noticed changes within just a few sessions, he added.

While the device is currently cleared for improving hand strength, function and sensation, Moritz noted other benefits: “Some people will have modest improvements in their bladder function, heart rate, or blood pressure control.”

Leah Croll, M.D., vascular neurologist at Maimonides Health and assistant professor of neurology at SUNY Downstate, shared the excitement over the device.

“The idea that ARC-EX Therapy may accelerate or augment neurologic recovery is really exciting. Any improvement in neurologic function is meaningful and has far-reaching impact in the daily lives of these patients and their families,” she said.

The road to recovery after a spinal cord injury is grueling, Croll said.

“After emergency and ICU care is completed, the mainstay of treatment is working closely with physical therapists, occupational therapists and other rehabilitation professionals to support neurologic recovery,” said Croll. “Patients may also need medications and certain procedures, depending on their unique symptoms.”

For Owen and others, ARC-EX Therapy represents a renewed sense of hope and an exciting change in the way these patients can be treated.

“[With ARC-EX Therapy], I continued to gain function back, and I found I was able to pour more into other people,” Owen said. “The first indicator of success that I noticed was my own happiness. It works, and it gives us hope and passion.”

Natalie S. Rosen, M.D., is a physician in the Hematology & Oncology Department at New York-Presbyterian Columbia and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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(NEW YORK) — A deadly, undiagnosed disease that has been spreading in one region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may be linked to malaria, health officials said Thursday.

As of Dec. 14, the latest date for which data is available, 592 cases have been reported with 37 confirmed deaths and 44 deaths under investigation, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the public health agency of the African Union.

Over the last week, 181 samples from 51 cases were tested in a laboratory, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC chief of staff, said during a Thursday press briefing.

Laboratory testing showed 25 out of 29 tested were positive for malaria. Additionally, rapid testing showed 55 out of 88 patients were positive for malaria.

Ngashi said there are two hypotheses: The first is that the undiagnosed disease is severe malaria “on a background of malnutrition and viral infection” and the second is the disease is a viral infection “on a background of malaria and malnutrition.”

Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite that infects a certain type of mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most people contract malaria after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Most cases of malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa, but it also occurs in parts of Oceania and in parts of Central and South America and Southeast Asia.

Malaria can be deadly if is not diagnosed and treated quickly, the CDC said.

What we know about the disease

The disease first appeared in a remote area in the province of Kwango, in the southwestern part of the DRC on the border with Angola, according to Africa CDC.

The first case was documented on Oct. 24. Patients have been experiencing flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, coughing and difficulty breathing as well as anemia, Africa CDC said during a press briefing earlier this month.

A plurality of cases, or 42.7%, have occurred in children under 5 years old. This age group also has the largest number of deaths, with 21 so far, data from Africa CDC shows. Children between ages 5 and 9 make up the second highest number of cases

Africa CDC said in a post on X earlier this month that it took five to six weeks after the first case was reported for local authorities to alert the national government, highlighting “gaps in Africa’s disease detection systems: limited surveillance, testing delays & weak lab infrastructure.”

-ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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