U.S. humanitarian worker tests positive for Bundibugyo Ebola strain in DRC
The CDC confirmed that an American employed by a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo contracted the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, while the outbreak remains largely confined to remote areas of the DRC and neighboring Uganda.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The agency is coordinating with the worker’s employer, other federal partners and DRC authorities to trace high-risk contacts and prevent further spread.
No additional personal details about the patient have been released. The CDC noted that the total number of confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC has risen to 1,830, including 648 deaths, according to government data reported late Friday.
"The overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low," the CDC said, adding that the outbreak is confined to remote regions of the DRC and neighboring Uganda and that the likelihood of the virus reaching the United States is considered very low.
Earlier in May, an American missionary physician, Dr. Peter Stafford, was reported by an international charity to have tested positive after showing symptoms consistent with Ebola. He and his family were evacuated to Berlin for treatment and quarantine. In a recent interview, Dr. Stafford described severe fever and weakness, while his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, said their children were closely monitored and are now doing well.
The case follows a separate incident last month in which a humanitarian worker tested positive for Ebola in France after returning from the DRC, marking the first confirmed case of the disease outside Africa.