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A U.S. citizen working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive for Ebola this week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, as the virus continues to spread in Central Africa.
The unidentified American, who works for a humanitarian organization, is the second U.S. citizen to test positive for Ebola amid the current outbreak.
Dr. Peter Stafford fully recovered after being evacuated to Germany from the Congo in May during the first week of the outbreak.
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A health worker prepares a patient’s blood sample for testing at Bunia General Hospital in Bunia, Congo, June 11. (Moses Sawasawa/AP Photo, File)
“CDC is aware of a U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who has tested positive for Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola,” the CDC said of the second case in a statement Friday.
“CDC is working with the patient’s employing organization, other U.S. federal agencies, public health authorities and partners in DRC to help prevent further transmission by supporting contact tracing and performing risk assessments to identify high-risk contacts.”
Stafford returned to the U.S. last month after testing negative for the virus.
“I am filled with gratitude to God for preserving my life, to all those who prayed on my behalf, and to the many medical providers who cared for me,” he said in a statement. “I am feeling well and thankful to be reunited with Rebekah and the kids. Our prayers continue for those in Congo who are facing this devastating epidemic and for the ongoing efforts to control the disease.”
A health worker stands at the Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, eastern Congo, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place. (Dirole Lotsima Dieudonne/AP Photo)
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This is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded in Africa with 1,830 confirmed cases in Congo, including 648 deaths, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have also been reported in Uganda.
Bundibugyo virus has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Last month, a French doctor tested positive for the virus after returning to Paris, and no cases have been detected in the U.S.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the risk of a global outbreak of the virus, which is not airborne but spreads through bodily fluids, remains low.
Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center in Bunia, eastern Congo, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place. (Dirole Lotsima Dieudonne/AP Photo)
Congolese authorities declared an Ebola outbreak on May 15.
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The U.S. ramped up security precautions after the outbreak was declared, including enhanced health screenings for citizens returning from the region and restricted entry for non-U.S. citizens in the region.