Second US Ebola patient from Congo outbreak to receive care in Germany
A U.S. humanitarian worker infected in the DRC outbreak is being treated in Germany, Ars Technica reported, as U.S. repatriation limits remain in place.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
A U.S. citizen working on humanitarian efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola and is being sent to Germany for treatment, Ars Technica reported. The case is the second known American infection tied to the current DRC outbreak and the second in which care is being arranged in Germany rather than in the United States, according to the report.
The outbreak was declared on May 15 and has continued to expand, Ars Technica reported. A DRC situation report dated July 12 listed 1,926 cases and 702 deaths, making the outbreak the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record, according to the figures cited in the report.
The infections are linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebolavirus, Ars Technica reported. That strain is less widely known than some other Ebola viruses, but it can still cause severe disease and has now been tied to a growing outbreak in central Africa, according to the report.
U.S. policy keeps patients abroad
Ars Technica reported that the Trump administration has maintained strict travel limits during the outbreak and has blocked the return of U.S. citizens who were exposed to or infected with Ebola. The approach has been described as controversial because the United States has specialized facilities built to monitor and treat Ebola patients safely, according to the report.
Those facilities were created for cases involving dangerous infectious diseases, including situations in which Americans become ill while working overseas, Ars Technica reported. Even so, both infected Americans in this outbreak have been directed to Germany for care rather than brought back to the United States, according to the report.
The latest patient was in the DRC for humanitarian work, Ars Technica reported. No additional personal details about the patient were provided in the report.
Outbreak continues to grow
The DRC’s July 12 case count showed the outbreak remained active nearly two months after it was first declared, according to the figures cited by Ars Technica. The reported death toll of 702 reflects a severe outbreak with significant pressure on health responders in the affected areas.
Ars Technica reported that the outbreak has already surpassed most previous Ebola events by size. The report did not provide a timeline for when the second U.S. patient would arrive in Germany or details about the treatment facility receiving the patient.
The handling of the two American cases marks a departure from earlier U.S. practice in which specialized domestic units were available for Ebola care, Ars Technica reported. For now, according to the report, infected U.S. citizens connected to the DRC outbreak are being kept outside the country for treatment.
This story draws on original reporting from Ars Technica.