U.S. Citizen Tests Positive for Ebola in Congo, CDC Confirms
The CDC said a U.S. humanitarian worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, prompting coordinated response efforts with local and U.S. authorities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday that a U.S. citizen employed by a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The strain is one of three known to cause Ebola and currently has no specific vaccine or treatment.
The CDC said it is collaborating with the worker’s employer, U.S. agencies, Congolese health officials and other partners to prevent further transmission and to trace close contacts.
The last American case in the ongoing outbreak was Dr. Peter Stafford, a medical missionary who contracted the disease in May, was treated in Berlin and later returned to the United States after recovery, according to his employer.
Congolese health authorities have reported more than 600 deaths among approximately 1,800 confirmed cases. The outbreak has also spread to Uganda, which recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
"No Ebola patients will be allowed to enter the United States," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in May, though his position was later moderated.
U.S. officials indicated that, rather than repatriating exposed Americans, the administration had considered sending them to a quarantine facility under construction in Kenya. The plan faced protests in Kenya and was halted by a court order. No definitive U.S. policy has been announced for caring for Americans abroad who are exposed to the virus.