Wild Meat Consumption Fuels Ebola Risk in Congo Basin, Experts Warn

Vendors at Kinshasa's Masina Market openly display or discreetly offer wild meats, from giant swamp rodents to antelope parts and wriggling caterpillars. This trade, a cultural staple in Congo and across Central and West Africa, persists despite the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo. The Congo Basin, rich in wildlife, is a source for these meats, but hunting and consuming them exposes locals to zoonotic diseases like Ebola.

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Once there is human, animal and environment interface. We have these kinds of outbreaks on a frequent level.

Dr. Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the frequent outbreaks that occur when humans, animals, and the environment interact. "Once there is human, animal and environment interface. We have these kinds of outbreaks on a frequent level," he stated. He stressed the importance of a "one health approach" to managing virus outbreaks, noting continued interaction with bats and monkeys, and proximity to the environment.

The Congolese government has confirmed over 1,000 suspected Ebola cases, with at least 220 deaths, since the May 15 outbreak declaration. The World Health Organization suspects the actual numbers are higher, as the virus may have spread undetected for weeks. Ebola, first identified in 1976 in Congo and South Sudan, is believed to spill over to humans from infected animals, often fruit bats, through handling and consumption of wild meat.

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And this is why one health approach in dealing with virus outbreaks is important, because we still interact with the bats, and our hunters are still killing monkeys, and we are close to the environment.

Despite the known risks, changing these deep-rooted practices is challenging. Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a microbiologist advising Uganda's Ministry of Health, noted that some individuals disbelieve the link between wild meat and Ebola or are unaware of the threat. The consequences for communities are severe, with Ebola outbreaks causing terror and leading some to believe in evil spells. The virus has caused 17 outbreaks in Congo and many others regionally, including the devastating 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak.

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It is very difficult to change some of these core practices.