How bushmeat, burial rites and geography make the DRC an Ebola hotspot | CNN

In rural Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a lethal Ebola strain has torn through local communities – claiming over 100 lives and triggering a global health emergency. The virus was first discovered in the DRC in 1976, and remains an enduring threat. The central African nation has seen 17 outbreaks, more than any other country – a severe outbreak between 2018 and 2020 left 2,299 people dead. Ebola, an often fatal virus that causes severe symptoms, including high fever and both internal and external bleeding, originates in wildlife. It is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood or fluids of infected forest animals, such as “fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates” like monkeys, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Once the virus enters a community, it spreads quickly between people through direct contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. The current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain, a rare form of Ebola. Unlike the more common Zaire strain of the virus, the Bundibugyo variant currently lacks any approved vaccines or treatments. Scientists believe humans first contracted Ebola by hunting, handling, or eating infect