Kinshasa market sells wild meat as Ebola outbreak spreads

In Kinshasa, the sprawling Masina Market offers a window into a deeply rooted cultural and culinary tradition: the trade in wild meat. Vendors sell everything from giant swamp rodents and antelope parts to squirming caterpillars, often from discreet stalls where customers must ask for specific items. This practice, known locally as viande de brousse, remains a craving and a key part of life for many across Congo and Central and West Africa, even as the region grapples with a deadly Ebola outbreak.

The Congolese government declared an Ebola outbreak on May 15 and has since confirmed more than 1,000 suspected cases with at least 220 deaths. Health officials suspect the virus spread undetected for weeks and believe the true scale is larger than reported. The current outbreak in eastern Congo is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola for which there are no approved medicines or vaccines. It is occurring in an area also facing armed violence and mass displacement, complicating the response.

Public health experts warn of a persistent link between the consumption of wild meat and zoonotic diseases like Ebola. While the virus is not generally spread through cooked food,...