Avoid Eating Bush Meat To Prevent Spread Of Ebola Virus — Doctors Warn Nigerians

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Medical experts have warned Nigerians against consuming bush meat following renewed Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in parts of Africa, saying infected wild animals could aid the spread of the deadly disease.

The physicians explained that Ebola can spread from animals to humans through contact with the blood, organs, or bodily fluids of infected wildlife such as bats, monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. They added that hunting, handling, and eating poorly processed bush meat remain major risk factors.

The warning follows recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. According to reports, the World Health Organisation declared the outbreaks a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after cases linked to a rare strain with no approved vaccine or treatment emerged.

WHO said the DRC recorded eight confirmed cases, 246 suspected infections, and 80 suspected deaths, while Uganda confirmed two cases, including one death, involving travellers from Congo.

Although Nigeria has not recorded any case, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jide Idris, said surveillance and preparedness measures had been intensified nationwide.

A Professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, Tanimola Akande, said, “Ebola is a zoonotic infection. It is well known that transmission can be through the consumption of bush meat.”

He warned that bush meat serves as a reservoir for the virus and noted that transmission can also occur during hunting, processing, and display for sale.

Akande listed symptoms including headache, fever, weakness, muscle pain, sore throat, bleeding, dehydration, and organ failure.

He advised Nigerians to avoid hunting and eating bush meat during outbreaks, maintain proper hygiene, use protective equipment when handling meat, and quickly report suspected symptoms to health authorities.