A citizen of the United States who contracted the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital. The patient was brought to the hospital’s specialized isolation unit at approximately 3 a.m. local time.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control confirmed that an American citizen, who was working for a humanitarian organization in Congo, tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus. The individual’s current condition is reported as stable by Timo Wolf, the head of the special isolation unit.
Frankfurt University Hospital assured the public that there is no risk to others as the patient is receiving treatment in complete isolation within a separate unit of the facility. The number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has risen to 1,926, with 702 deaths, and the outbreak has now spread to Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces.
Previously, another U.S. citizen who had contracted Ebola in Congo was treated and released from Charité Hospital in Berlin in June. The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is presenting new challenges due to a different strain of the virus, inadequate resources, and ongoing conflicts exacerbating the situation.
