U.S. humanitarian worker tests positive for Ebola amid Congo outbreak

The U.S. 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 Ebola virus. The agency is coordinating with the worker’s employer, other U.S. agencies, Congolese public-health authorities and partners to trace contacts and prevent further spread, though no additional details were released.

The outbreak, which the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention described as the fastest-growing Ebola event ever recorded on the continent, has produced 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths in Congo, with additional cases identified in neighboring Uganda. Earlier this week, an American doctor in Congo also tested positive and was evacuated to Germany for treatment.

The Congolese government announced the new outbreak on May 15 after weeks of undetected transmission, according to the World Health Organization. The disease is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists. Containment efforts have been complicated by a funding shortfall, attacks on health facilities and ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, the epicenter of the crisis.

"We are working closely with all partners to identify contacts and limit further transmission," a CDC spokesperson said.