KINSHASA — The Congolese government has confirmed more than 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and at least 220 deaths since declaring an outbreak on May 15 in eastern Congo. The World Health Organization suspects the current Ebola outbreak in Congo is much larger than reported, as the virus spread undetected for weeks.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola strain with no approved vaccines or medicines. Ebola outbreaks typically begin when the virus spills over from infected animals—often fruit bats, considered natural hosts—to humans, frequently through the hunting, butchering, or consumption of wild meat. Once in humans, the virus spreads through close contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals.

Many people in and around the Congo Basin rely on wild meat as their primary source of animal protein. Demand for wild meat from the region has not decreased despite the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Vendors at Masina Market in Kinshasa sell items such as python, giant swamp rodents, and caterpillars. Some vendors reported having stopped offering monkey meat, which can act as a viral reservoir.

“Some people don't believe the linkage [between wild meat and Ebola] and others are totally ignorant of the health threat from eating wild meat.”

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

“Public health campaigners need to step up education campaigns on how Ebola starts and is spread among communities that face recurring outbreaks.”