Ebola strain confirmed in US citizen in Democratic Republic of Congo
A US citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on Friday, reports BritPanorama.
The CDC is collaborating with the patient’s employing organization, federal agencies, and partners in the DRC to prevent further transmission and to identify high-risk contacts. No further details about the patient have been released. CNN has contacted the CDC and the State Department seeking additional comments.
As of late Friday, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC rose to 1,830, with 648 deaths, according to government data reported by Reuters. While there have been no confirmed Ebola cases in the United States, the CDC indicated that “the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.” The outbreak is currently limited to remote areas of the DRC and nearby Uganda, and the CDC considers the likelihood of the virus spreading to the US as “very low.”
In May, international charity Serge reported that Dr. Peter Stafford, an American Christian missionary physician, had tested positive after showing symptoms consistent with Ebola. His wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and another physician treating patients in the DRC at the time, along with the Staffords’ four children, all under seven years old, were monitored for signs of the virus.
The Stafford family, who had been living in the DRC since 2021, was evacuated to Berlin, Germany, where Dr. Stafford was quarantined and received hospital treatment. “That was a difficult time,” he said in an interview after his recovery. “I had a high fever, I had weakness, at times too difficult even to walk on my own.”
Rebekah Stafford described the emotional strain they faced, particularly being aware that their Congolese peers would not receive the same level of medical care. Despite their challenges, she noted that their children were “doing really well,” recalling how their oldest son understood the seriousness of the situation.
Last month, the first case of Ebola outside Africa was reported during the current outbreak in the DRC. A colleague, also a humanitarian worker, tested positive in France after returning from a mission in the DRC, marking the first reported case in the country.
The situation continues to develop, highlighting the ongoing risk posed by the Ebola virus in the region and the global health implications it carries.
