Copperbelt veterinary officer Dr Alisheke Mutemwa has assured Ndola residents that the presence of fruit bats in Mulobezi road should not worry them because they do not carry the Ebola virus.
The Ebola virus is one of many zoonosis which is commonly acquired from other animals. The common animals which carry the virus are monkeys and fruit bats. Monkeys suffer from the disease but the fruit bats are known to be carriers only, thereby making the bats the natural reservoir for the virus.
In an interview yesterday, Dr Mutemwa said research conducted on fruit bats in Ndola by the veterinary medical department at the University of Zambia and a Japan institution found that they do not carry any pathogens.
“We want to assure Ndola residents that the fruit bats that are in Mulobezi Road in Northrise do not carry pathogens that cause the Ebola virus or any diseases that can be transmitted to human beings. Yes, they are fruit bats but they do not carry the Ebola virus. Ndola residents should not panic over the bats. There are 1,200 species of fruit bats in the world and we are still researching to find out the species that is in Ndola,” he said.
Dr Mutemwa, however, said people should be careful on how they handle fruit bats because they migrate from one place to another and might carry some diseases in the process.
He said the veterinary medical department at the University of Zambia and other universities worldwide were still conducting research on the Ndola bats.
And some Ndola residents said they were living in fear because of the presence of fruit bats in the residential area.
A resident Cholwe Mulenga said trees should be cut down as a way of preventing the bats from returning to the area.
“Bats are bad animals and should not be allowed to stay in people’s houses. There is no way a family can allow bats to live with them. There are thousands of bats at that house in Mulobezi Road and we have even heard that bats carry the Ebola virus. Are we safe? No we are not. We are asking the government to act before Ndola is infested with the Ebola virus,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chileshe Mutale of Bomba Close, said the bats in Mulobezi Road had tasty meat.
“We eat them and they are tasty. Many people eat these bats and we enjoy them. On many occasions we hunt them but we are very careful because we have been warned not to kill them. The village where I come from, we call them Ilamba and they are very nice to eat,” said Mutale.