Ebola Virus Case Reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo

A U.S. citizen associated with a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been confirmed as having the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a statement released on Friday.

The CDC is collaborating with the individual’s employer, along with various federal agencies and partners in the DRC, to curb further transmission and identify individuals at high risk of exposure.

Details regarding the patient remain limited, and CNN has sought additional comments from both the CDC and the State Department.

Recent government data indicates that confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC have climbed to 1,830, with 648 fatalities, as reported late Friday by Reuters.

However, no Ebola cases have been identified within the United States, and the CDC’s latest report, released Saturday, reassures that “the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.” The current outbreak appears to be primarily isolated in remote regions of the DRC and nearby Uganda, and the likelihood of it affecting the U.S. is regarded as “very low.”

In May, the international charity Serge disclosed that an American missionary physician, Dr. Peter Stafford, had “tested positive” for the virus after showing symptoms consistent with it.

Dr. Stafford’s wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, along with another physician who were caring for patients in DRC when the outbreak started, and their four children—all under the age of seven—were monitored for signs of Ebola, as per the charity’s report.

The Stafford family, residing in DRC since 2021, was subsequently evacuated to Berlin, Germany, where Dr. Stafford was quarantined and hospitalized for treatment.

Reflecting on that challenging period, he recounted in a CNN interview, “That was a difficult time. I had a high fever, I had weakness, at times too difficult even to walk on my own.”

Dr. Rebekah Stafford shared her feelings of being overwhelmed as she witnessed international efforts kicking into gear to assist her husband, acutely aware that Congolese friends wouldn’t have access to the same standard of care.

Despite the family’s challenging experience, she noted that their children are “doing really well.”

She explained, “Our oldest son definitely understood, telling our kids ‘hey guys, your dad has Ebola,’” adding the difficulty of explaining to them that they couldn’t touch him, enter his room, or guarantee his recovery.

Last month, the first case of Ebola outside Africa was detected, marking a notable moment during the second-largest recorded outbreak in the DRC.

This specific patient, who also worked in humanitarian efforts, tested positive in France after returning from a mission in the DRC, as reported by the French Health Ministry. This incident marked the first reported case of Ebola in France.