Briefly

DR CONGO

Lab testing confirms malaria outbreak

Testing has confirmed that an initially unidentified illness that killed more than 50 people in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo was malaria, the country's National Public Health Institute said on Monday. At least 943 people fell sick and 52 died in Equateur Province at the start of the year, with symptoms ranging from fever and fatigue to vomiting and weight loss. Health officials said in February that the condition was suspected to be either malaria or food poisoning.