health

U.S. doctor with Ebola feared he "wasn't going to make it" before evacuation from Congo

An American doctor who was infected with Ebola while working with a medical missionary organization in Africa said in a statement that he is feeling "cautiously optimistic" as he fights the deadly virus.

U.S. doctor with Ebola feared he "wasn't going to make it" before evacuation from Congo

TL;DR

  • Dr. Peter Stafford, an American doctor, contracted the Bundibugyo ebolavirus while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • He has been evacuated to a hospital in Berlin, Germany, for treatment.
  • Stafford initially expressed fears he would not survive but now feels "cautiously optimistic."
  • His wife and four children have also been evacuated to Germany and are being monitored.
  • Another Serge doctor, Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, is in quarantine in Prague after potential exposure.
  • The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Congo has spread to Uganda, with nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths reported.
  • There is no known vaccine or treatment for this strain of ebolavirus, which has a fatality rate of 30-50%.