A U.S. citizen doing humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for Ebola, the second American infected during the DRC’s explosive Ebola outbreak, and the second was sent to Germany, not the United States, for treatment.
The first declared Ebola outbreak May 15it’s already the third largest on record and still growing. As of July 12, The DRC reported 1,926 cases and 702 deaths in an outbreak caused by the lesser-known Bundibugyo strain. Ebola virus.
Under the Trump administration, the US has adopted a seemingly isolationist approach, imposing strict and controversial travel restrictions and blocking the repatriation of citizens exposed to or infected with the virus. Although the United States has numerous facilities across the country designed to safely monitor and provide high-quality care to Ebola patients in such situations.
The United States has also been largely excluded from epidemic responses. After taking office, Trump moved to withdraw from the World Health Organization, which helped coordinate international efforts to stop the spread of the virus — though it still outranks health workers.
On Monday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the WHO provided clinical care to an infected American before the patient is transferred to Germany for follow-up care.
Americans are infected
While he said such infections among aid workers were not unexpected, Tedros called for more help to contain the virus. “As the outbreak escalates, an accelerated response from local, national and international partners is urgently needed,” he said on social media on Monday. “WHO is working intensively under the leadership of the government and with the African CDC to bring the outbreak under control as soon as possible.”
