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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday that one American had tested positive for Ebola as part of their work in Congo, where a rare strain of the virus has broken out, but advised that the risk to the US was low.
The CDC did not name the person, but the Serge Christian missionary organization said one of the medical missionaries, Dr. Peter Stafford, was exposed while treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital.
“This person had symptoms over the weekend and was examined on Sunday,” said Dr. Satish Pillai, the agency’s Ebola response manager, told reporters on a press conference.
The CDC is working with the US State Department to fly an American to Germany for treatment and care, Pillai said, adding that six other exposed people have also been flown to Germany.
The news comes as medical workers rush to the front lines of a new Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, where the virus’s late detection and rapid spread have alarmed health experts. There are 105 suspected deaths and 393 suspected cases, the Congo Health Cluster said on Monday.
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ but said it does not meet pandemic criteria. As of Saturday, Congo’s Ituri province reported 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases in at least three health facilities.
Serge’s organization said Stafford was one of three missionaries, including his wife, who cared for patients but the other two remained unseen.
The CDC is sending technical experts from its headquarters in Atlanta to the outbreak site, Pillai said.
The US is also working to develop monoclonal antibody therapy as a possible treatment for this type of Ebola, he said, through work at the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, known as BARDA.
The CDC is issuing travel restrictions
The CDC also issued an order earlier Monday to suspend the entry of travelers to the US who have departed from, or been to, Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan within the past 21 days, regardless of origin, the statement said.
The measures will not apply to US citizens, US citizens, legal permanent residents, members of the US military, government employees overseas, their spouses, and children, according to the order, which is in effect for 30 days.
Other exemptions include certain individuals that tax officials determine should be exempt from the order, as well as non-citizens who may apply but are not authorized to enter by the Department of Homeland Security.
“The risk of introducing the Bundibugyo (Ebola) virus into the United States is increased due to the incubation period of the virus, which can exceed 21 days, allowing people with the virus to travel abroad without symptoms and therefore less likely to be detected through standard screening measures,” the CDC said.
The agency said it will also screen and monitor travelers arriving from areas affected by the Ebola outbreak in the region and strengthen contact tracing, laboratory testing capacity and hospital preparedness across the country. It will also coordinate with airlines and port authorities to identify and manage travelers who may have been exposed to the virus.
Pillai said the US government is still finalizing its plans for FIFA World Cup athletes from Congo and international travel destinations. Houston is serving as the host country for the Congolese team during the World Cup, which starts next month, and several US cities will host other teams.
The CDC will continue to send staff to support outbreak efforts in affected counties, he said.
