Ebola: US citizen working in Democratic Republic of Congo tests positive

Key Points:

• A US citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, according to the CDC, which is collaborating with partners to prevent further transmission and identify high-risk contacts.
• The DRC has reported 1,830 confirmed Ebola cases with 648 deaths, while no cases have been confirmed in the United States, and the CDC states the risk to Americans and travelers remains low as the outbreak is confined to remote areas of the DRC and Uganda.
• In May, American missionary physician Dr. Peter Stafford tested positive for Ebola in the DRC and was evacuated to Germany for treatment, highlighting the challenges faced by healthcare workers and their families during the outbreak.
• Last month marked the first Ebola case outside Africa during the current outbreak, with a humanitarian worker testing positive in France after returning from the DRC, representing the first reported case in that country.