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Experts Warn Bushmeat Consumption Fuels Ebola Outbreaks in Congo

Experts Warn Bushmeat Consumption Fuels Ebola Outbreaks in Congo

Thairath•International•5h ago

Reader Briefing

Health experts are urging the public to avoid bushmeat consumption due to its strong link to Ebola transmission, especially amidst ongoing outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  • •Experts highlight that hunting and consuming bushmeat significantly increases the risk of Ebola transmission from animals to humans.
  • •The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a severe Ebola outbreak, with over 1,000 suspected cases and at least 220 deaths reported since May 15.
  • •Despite the risks, bushmeat remains a popular and culturally significant food source in many parts of Central and West Africa.
  • •Public health officials are calling for increased public education on the dangers of consuming bushmeat of unknown origin or that has died naturally.

Overview

  • •Experts are warning that the hunting and consumption of bushmeat are significant risk factors potentially accelerating Ebola outbreaks.
  • •Consumption of bushmeat is identified as a primary pathway for the Ebola virus to cross from animals to humans.
  • •Since the Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported over 1,000 suspected cases and at least 220 deaths.
  • •The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the actual figures may be higher due to undetected virus spread.
  • •Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in Congo, believed to have originated from animal-to-human transmission.
  • •Fruit bats are considered a natural reservoir for the virus, with hunting, butchering, and consuming infected animals facilitating transmission.
  • •Dr. Tolbert Gueleh N'yensthvath from Africa CDC stated that continuous close human-wildlife interaction poses ongoing epidemic risks.
  • •Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a Ugandan microbiologist, noted that changing bushmeat consumption habits is difficult due to deep cultural roots.

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Key Quotes

Dr. Tolbert Gueleh N'yensthvath
"As long as humans continue to have close interactions with wildlife and the environment, the risk of such epidemics will persist."
ตราบใดที่มนุษย์ยังคงมีปฏิสัมพันธ์ใกล้ชิดกับสัตว์ป่าและสิ่งแวดล้อม ความเสี่ยงในการเกิดโรคระบาดลักษณะนี้ก็ยังคงเกิดขึ้นได้
Dr. Misaki Wayengera
"Changing the behavior of consuming bushmeat is very difficult because it is deeply ingrained in local culture."
การเปลี่ยนพฤติกรรมการบริโภคสัตว์ป่าเป็นเรื่องยากมาก เพราะฝังรากลึกอยู่ในวัฒนธรรมท้องถิ่น

Key Entities

Place

Congo(คองโก)ℹ️
The African nation experiencing a severe outbreak of the Ebola virus.
Democratic Republic of the Congo(สาธารณรัฐประชาธิปไตยคองโก)ℹ️
The country in Central Africa currently dealing with a significant Ebola outbreak.
Masina Market(ตลาดมาซินา)
A market in Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, where various types of bushmeat are sold.
Kinshasa(กรุงกินชาซา)ℹ️
The capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ebola River(แม่น้ำอีโบลา)ℹ️
The river in the Democratic Republic of Congo after which the Ebola virus was named.
Central Africa(แอฟริกากลาง)ℹ️
A region in Africa where bushmeat consumption is a significant cultural practice and a potential risk factor for zoonotic diseases.
West Africa(แอฟริกาตะวันตก)ℹ️
A region in Africa known for its bushmeat culture and past significant Ebola outbreaks.

Organization

World Health Organization(องค์การอนามัยโลก)ℹ️
An international organization that plays a leading role in global health, providing guidance and monitoring disease outbreaks like Ebola.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention(ศูนย์ควบคุมและป้องกันโรคแห่งแอฟริกา)ℹ️
An institution dedicated to strengthening disease prevention and control in Africa, with an expert commenting on Ebola risks.

Person

Dr. Tolbert Gueleh N'yensthvath(นพ.โทลเบิร์ต กีว์เลห์ นเยนสวาห์)
An expert from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) commenting on the risks of human-wildlife interaction and disease outbreaks.
Dr. Misaki Wayengera(นพ.มิซากิ วาเยนเกรา)
A microbiologist expert from Uganda who described the difficulty in changing local bushmeat consumption habits due to cultural embedding.
Fruit bats(ค้างคาวกินผลไม้)ℹ️
Identified as potential natural reservoirs and carriers of the Ebola virus, contributing to its transmission to humans.