An American medical missionary tested positive for Ebola while serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday.
Peter Stafford, serving with American mission group Serge, tested positive for the Bundibugyoebola virus variant, the group said in a press release Monday.
According to Serge, Stafford was exposed while treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital in Ituri Province and was one of three Serge-supported medical missionaries treating patients when the outbreak began. Stafford’s wife and one other individual are currently adhering to quarantine procedures but remain asymptomatic.
The diagnosis comes after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency over the weekend, as more than 250 cases and 88 deaths were linked to the virus. Most reported cases were in the DRC and Uganda.
Serge’s team base is located in Bunia, which is only 25 miles north of the epicenter of the outbreak in Mongwalu. As of Monday, authorities have documented 390 suspected cases and 100 fatalities, according to the missionary organization.
“Our medical teams labor in some of the most demanding settings in the world, serving vulnerable communities who have limited access to healthcare,” said Joel Hylton, Serge’s senior director of mission. “We are profoundly grateful for their dedication to the people of the DRC, and we deeply lament the hardship they are enduring under this current threat.”
The Bundibugyoebola virus spreads through bodily fluids of infected people or animals, with symptoms including fever, fatigue, and vomiting.
In response to the outbreak, U.S. officials issued a Level Four travel advisory, its most severe level, and warned against traveling to the Congo.
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The WHO is meeting on Monday, as the recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks are likely to be discussed. The U.S. will not be included in these discussions because President Donald Trump pulled out of the organization in January.
The last Ebola epidemic occurred between 2014 and 2016, with nearly 28,000 people infected with the virus. The disease spread to the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Italy, and resulted in the deaths of more than 11,000 people.