Second U.S. citizen contracts Ebola in the DRC

A second U.S. humanitarian worker tested positive for the deadly Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, World Health Organization head Tedros Ghebreyesus said Monday. The worker had been treating patients in hard-hit eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The first American to contract the virus during the current outbreak was missionary Dr. Peter Stafford, who recovered after receiving treatment in Germany.

The WHO was providing clinical care and closely monitoring the person’s condition, Ghebreyesus said. The patient had been transferred to Germany for further care, he said. Caring for frontline responders to the accelerating outbreak was a top priority, Ghebreyesus said.

How many people have contracted Ebola so far? Authorities confirmed 1,947 cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola as of Sunday, according to the WHO. Most of the cases occurred in the DRC, though there were about 20 in Uganda and one in France. A total of 704 people have died since the outbreak began in mid-May, while 336 recovered.

Dig deeper: Read Grace Snell’s WORLD Magazine story on the struggles health workers face in the DRC.