An American medical missionary working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has tested positive for Ebola, the first confirmed American case in the current outbreak, according to the international Christian missions organization Serge.
Dr. Peter Stafford, who has served at Nyankunde Hospital with Serge since 2023, was exposed while treating patients. He sought testing "after presenting symptoms consistent with the virus," Serge said in a statement Monday. The organization said Stafford developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday.
Two other Serge medical missionaries, including Stafford's wife, were treating patients in the region when the outbreak began and remain asymptomatic, Serge said.
"Our medical teams labor in some of the most demanding settings in the world, serving vulnerable communities who have limited access to healthcare," said Joel Hylton, Serge's senior director of mission. "We are profoundly grateful for their dedication to the people of the DRC, and we deeply lament the hardship they are enduring under this current threat. Our concern extends equally to our Congolese colleagues and friends in the region who face these same risks."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Monday that at least one American working in the DRC had tested positive for Ebola but did not identify the individual by name. Dr. Satish K. Pillai, incident manager for the CDC's Ebola response, told reporters the patient and six other high-risk contacts are being moved to Germany for care.
"Given the previous experience for caring for Ebola patients, coupled with the flight times being significantly shorter, this allows us to get these persons to points of care quickly," Pillai said.
Pillai said the CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center through its country offices in the DRC and in Uganda and is deploying technical experts from its Atlanta headquarters.
The CDC also announced Monday it is preparing to restrict entry for travelers arriving from parts of central Africa where the outbreak has been declared, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. Non-U.S. passport holders who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days will face entry restrictions. The order, carried out under Title 42 of the Public Health Services Act, will be in effect for 30 days. It does not apply to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
Pillai stressed that the risk to the U.S. general public remains low.
