President Donald Trump said he is “concerned” about the growing Ebola outbreak after an American medical missionary working in the Democratic Republic of Congo was confirmed to be positive for the deadly virus on Monday, as health officials race to contain a growing outbreak that has already spread beyond the country’s borders.
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Dr. Peter Stafford, a physician serving in eastern Congo with the Christian medical nonprofit Serge, contracted the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola while treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital near the city of Bunia, according to a press statement issued by the organization.
The outbreak has raised alarm internationally, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to impose temporary travel restrictions on some travelers from affected regions. At least 80 people have died thus far, and cases have been confirmed in DRC, where the outbreak first emerged, as well as in Uganda.
Newsweek reached out to Serge and the CDC for comment on Monday.
Who Is Peter Stafford?
Stafford and his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, are American missionary doctors affiliated with Serge, a Pennsylvania-based Christian missions organization focused on medical and humanitarian work overseas. According to Serge’s website, the couple moved to Africa in 2019 and has been serving in Nyankunde, Congo, in partnership with local medical providers.
The organization says its medical teams work alongside Congolese healthcare workers to provide treatment and train local doctors in one of the region’s most underserved and conflict-affected areas.
Reuters reported that Stafford became infected while caring for Ebola patients during the latest outbreak. His wife and another missionary doctor, Patrick LaRochelle, were also exposed to the virus but have not shown symptoms and remain in quarantine.
The Staffords’ four children are reportedly being monitored while the family prepares for evacuation to Germany, where U.S. officials plan to transfer exposed Americans for isolation and treatment.
Trump, Officials Respond to Ebola Outbreak
Trump said that he is “concerned” about the African Ebola outbreak in response to a Newsweek question at a Monday press conference at the White House.
The president said, “I’m concerned about everything … but certainly am (about Ebola). I think it’s been confined right now to Africa, but it’s something that has had a breakout.”
Heidi Overton, the chief policy officer & director for the Center for a Healthy America at America First Policy Institute and also a member of Trump’s domestic policy council, added: “We have stood up a full, interagency response … everyone is fully involved in tracking this… that American, as well as six high-risk contacts are going to be taken out of that region and taken to Germany.”
Ebola Outbreak Expands
The latest Ebola outbreak has centered in Congo’s eastern Ituri Province, where health authorities suspect dozens of deaths linked to the virus in recent weeks. Uganda has also confirmed cases, increasing fears of broader regional spread.
The Bundibugyo strain involved in the outbreak is less common than the Zaire strain associated with several previous Ebola epidemics. There are currently no fully approved vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo variant, according to reports.
On Monday, the CDC announced a temporary 30-day suspension on entry for certain noncitizen travelers who have recently been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan. The agency stressed that the immediate risk to the American public remains “low,” but said additional screening and monitoring measures are now being implemented.
The CDC said it would also screen and monitor travelers arriving from areas affected by Ebola outbreaks in the region and ramp up contact tracing, laboratory testing capacity and hospital readiness nationwide.
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How Testing Delays Lost Weeks in Congo’s Ebola Response
Ebola cases have now been confirmed in Bunia, Goma, Mongbwalu, Butembo and Nyakunde. The Bundibugyo strain spread largely undetected for several weeks before it was confirmed, hampering the initial response.
Congo said the first death from the virus occurred on April 24 in Bunia, and the patient’s body was repatriated to the Mongbwalu health zone, a mining area with a large population. When another person fell ill on April 26, samples were sent to Kinshasa for testing. On May 5, the WHO was alerted to about 50 deaths in Mongbwalu, including four health workers. The first case was confirmed on May 14.
Samples from Bunia were initially tested for the more common Ebola strain, Zaire, and came back negative. The first confirmation of Ebola came on May 14, and the Bundibugyo strain was confirmed the next day.
Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, criticized the delay.
“Because early tests looked for the wrong strain of Ebola, we got false negatives and lost weeks of response time,” Kavanagh told the Associated Press. “We are playing catch-up against a very dangerous pathogen.”
He also criticized policy decisions affecting outbreak response. “When you pull billions out of the WHO and dismantle front line USAID programs, you gut the exact surveillance system meant to catch these viruses early,” Kavanagh said.
Seven Americans Evacuated to Germany: What Happens Next
Stafford sought testing under the guidance of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in partnership with the WHO after presenting symptoms consistent with the virus. He developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday, according to Dr. Satish Pillai, the incident manager for the CDC’s Ebola response.
His wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and another physician, Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, remain asymptomatic and are currently in quarantine.
Seven Americans, including the one who tested positive, are being transported to Germany for monitoring and specialized medical care. The CDC is working with the U.S. State Department on the evacuation. The CDC is also deploying technical experts from its headquarters in Atlanta to the outbreak area.
Congo’s health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, announced the government is opening three treatment centers. The WHO sent a team of experts and supplies to the region.
DRC’s World Cup Dream in Jeopardy: CDC Still Planning for Houston Host Site
The DRC secured its spot in the FIFA World Cup and became the last team to finalize its roster. It will compete in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan, with their opening match against Portugal. The team’s return to football’s showpiece event came just weeks before the Ebola outbreak, which now threatens to disrupt preparations and team operations.
The CDC’s outbreak response efforts include direct coordination on the DRC team’s World Cup participation.
“The U.S. government is still working on its final plans for DRC World Cup athletes and international travel hubs,” said Pillai during a media call Monday. Houston is serving as the host site for the team during the June-July tournament.
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