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The World Health Organization has launched an investigation into a mysterious illness that has killed nearly 100 people in the northern part of South Sudan. Symptoms include coughing, fever, headache, chest pain, joint pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and body weakness.
Most of the 97 deaths have been among the elderly and children under the age of 14.
Officials began looking into the illness in November after heavy flooding devastated the region, forcing over 200,000 people from their homes. Investigators checked for the presence of waterborne diseases such as cholera and malaria but found no evidence they were the cause of the deaths.
The WHO team has since left the country but did not provide details of their findings to local health officials.
Fangak County Commissioner Biel Boutros Biel told ABC News that several nongovernmental organizations are helping local officials by providing medical supplies and setting up mobile health clinics throughout the region.