An unknown illness first discovered in three children who ate a bat has rapidly killed more than 50 people in northwestern Congo over the past five weeks, health experts say.

The latest fighting is part of a major escalation of a conflict over power, identity and resources dating back to the 1990s Rwandan genocide.

The central African nation’s military has been weakened after it lost hundreds of troops and foreign mercenaries surrendered to the rebels after the fall of Goma.

The WHO experts are on their way to Panzi, in the southwestern Kwango province, where they'll deliver essential medicines and diagnostic kits to help analyse the cause.

A flu-like disease that has killed dozens of people over two weeks is being investigated in southwestern Congo, local authorities said.

WHO acknowledged that testing for mpox is still not widespread, making it difficult to understand how exactly the virus is spreading.

The defendants, most of them Congolese but also including a Briton, Belgian and Canadian, have five days to appeal the verdict on charges that included attempted coup.