American Aid Worker Contracts Rare Ebola Strain in DR Congo
There has been confirmation of the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus infection in an American humanitarian aid volunteer from the disaster relief charity organization, Samaritan’s Purse, who has been found infected in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The US CDC is collaborating with health agencies across the globe to track contacts and evaluate the risk of any further spread since there are no vaccines and treatment options for this specific strain. The individual currently is under isolation at an Ebola treatment center in Ituri Province, which is the second time an American citizen is found with the disease in the current outbreak where the previous American citizen, Dr. Peter Stafford, was evacuated to Germany in May and cured. As per the Africa CDC that the current outbreak in the DRC, which is the fastest growing in Africa with 1,830 cases and 648 fatalities in the country and Uganda, is highly hindered with lack of funds and conflict with attacks on health facilities.








