U.S. Humanitarian Worker Tests Positive for Ebola in Congo Outbreak

12 July 2026 · Source balance: Centre

A U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday. The patient, who has been in Congo for about a month with the aid group Samaritan's Purse, will be evacuated to Europe for treatment. This is the second American confirmed infected in the current outbreak, following a physician earlier in May. The broader outbreak remains the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded in Africa, with 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths in Congo as of this week, plus cases in neighboring Uganda. The disease emerged weeks or months before official detection in May. Efforts to contain the rare Bundibugyo virus have faced challenges from ongoing conflict, limited healthcare resources, and the lack of approved vaccines or treatments. U.S. health officials and the State Department say they're supporting the affected worker while noting the overall risk to Americans remains low.