Ebola-infected U.S. missionary doctor “cautiously optimistic”

American medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford is feeling somewhat better after being treated for Ebola at a hospital in Germany. Serge, an international Christian missions organization, shared an update on Stafford, who tested positive for the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola virus after working in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where an outbreak was later identified. He has since been evacuated to Berlin’s Charite University Hospital.

“Before I was evacuated I was feeling really concerned I wasn’t going to make it, and now I’m cautiously optimistic,” Stafford said, according to a Thursday news release from Serge.

Dr. Scott Myhre, Serge’s director for east and central Africa, said that as of as of Thursday, Peter was critically ill but not acutely deteriorating. He began to eat small amounts of food. His symptoms were proceeding as planned, from fever, aches, fatigue into a phase with vomiting, diarrhea, and rash. But his lab results were trending slightly in the right direction. He had received two unspecified “intravenous treatments designed to improve Ebola outcomes," Myhre said. The German medical teams were rotating in 3-hour shifts to care for him, while wearing full-body hazmat suits.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Stafford’s wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children have moved into a separate space within the same hospital. While Rebekah and the children have not shown symptoms, they will continue to isolate and be monitored. The Staffords’ colleague, Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, is now in quarantine and being monitored at Bulovka Hospital in Prague. He is also symptom-free, according to Serge.

Serge requested prayers for:

• The full recovery of Dr. Peter Stafford, and continued health of Dr. Rebekah Stafford, the Staffords’ four young children, and Dr. Patrick LaRochelle.

• Two Congolese hospital colleagues who are now confirmed Ebola-positive, along with many others in the Congolese community who are sick or serving the sick.

• The rapid escalation of the international response needed to supply the Congolese with what is needed to stem the outbreak and save lives.