US citizen tests positive for Ebola in Congo
A US citizen working for a humanitarian group in Congo has tested positive for the Ebola virus. This comes as the region faces its fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, complicated by conflict and funding shortages.
Why it matters
The infection of an international aid worker highlights the severity of the current outbreak and the challenges in containing the virus in conflict zones.
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KINSHASA: A US citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo has tested positive for the Ebola virus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, as the Central African country struggles to contain the swelling outbreak.<br />
The CDC said it was working with the person’s employer, US agencies, the public health authorities and Congolese partners to prevent further transmission and identify close contacts. It did not provide any further details.<br />
Earlier this week, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the outbreak is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded on the continent, with 1,830 confirmed cases in Congo, including 648 deaths. <br />
Cases have also been confirmed in Uganda.<br />
In the first week of the outbreak, an American doctor working in Congo tested positive for the virus and was transferred to Germany for treatment.<br />
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