{"id":1532,"date":"2026-05-20T12:46:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnnglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/20\/us-doctor-who-contracted-ebola-in-the-drc-flown-to-germany-for-treatment\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T12:46:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:46:03","slug":"us-doctor-who-contracted-ebola-in-the-drc-flown-to-germany-for-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/20\/us-doctor-who-contracted-ebola-in-the-drc-flown-to-germany-for-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"US doctor who contracted Ebola in the DRC flown to Germany for treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"013c58d1-86bf-4a5d-ba07-4ec1c086caf3\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"boxes of medical supplies with a World Health Organization label at the top\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/7df773de2827d89d8fef9c68653aad83c6e6fc73\/481_0_4788_3833\/master\/4788.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"372.2525062656642\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Medical supplies await loading on to a United Nations Organization stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo plane at Jomo Kenyatta  international airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on 20 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Daniel Irungu\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"013c58d1-86bf-4a5d-ba07-4ec1c086caf3\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Medical supplies await loading on to a United Nations Organization stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo plane at Jomo Kenyatta  international airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on 20 May 2026.<\/span> Photograph: Daniel Irungu\/EPA<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">US doctor who contracted Ebola in the DRC flown to Germany for treatment<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-15in7js\">\n<p>Dr Peter Stafford\u2019s wife and four children are also being monitored for symptoms amid Ebola outbreak in the DRC<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">An American doctor who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been flown to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/germany\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Germany<\/a> for treatment, along with his wife and four children, as the World Health Organization warned of the \u201cscale and speed\u201d of the outbreak.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Authorities have reported at least 134 suspected deaths and more than 500 cases of the hemorrhagic Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved treatments or vaccines. The outbreak, which has spread into urban areas, has been declared a public health emergency requiring international response.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Dr Peter Stafford, a surgeon and leader of the Christian missionary group Serge, has said he unknowingly operated on a patient with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ebola\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Ebola<\/a> before the outbreak was detected. His wife, Rebekah Stafford, also a doctor, and their children, are being monitored for symptoms of the disease.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"3d95800e-7f58-49c6-8b2f-c0403736996b\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-3 | 3\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/may\/20\/vaccine-bundibugyo-ebola-outbreak-six-to-nine-months-who\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">Vaccine to tackle Ebola outbreak will take six to nine months, says WHO<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The infected surgeon was barely able to stand on his own when he departed for Germany, according to two leaders of the Christian missionary group where he worked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Dr Scott Myhre, area director for Serge <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/health\/health-news\/american-doctor-ebola-evacuated-germany-wife-four-children-congo-rcna345961\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">told NBC News<\/a> that Stafford \u201clooked really tired and really sick\u201d as he left. \u201cThere were people in full \u2013 we call it PPE \u2013 the personal protective equipment, and they\u2019re completely covered, and he\u2019s hanging on them barely strong enough to walk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Stafford worked at Nyankunde hospital in the DRC\u2019s Ituri province, where the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Africa<\/a> centers for disease control first confirmed the Ebola outbreak. He had operated on a 33-year-old patient with severe abdominal pain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Doctors at first believed the patient had a gallbladder infection but, according to Myhre, Stafford \u201cdid an abdominal procedure and found that the gallbladder was normal and closed him up, but this patient subsequently died the next day\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The patient was buried before he could be tested for Ebola, but Stafford developed symptoms and tested positive on Sunday, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Myhre described Stafford as \u201ca very meticulous professional, and for every surgical case he does, he would be completely gowned in sterile garb and gloves and hats and glasses. But that\u2019s not quite enough to prevent an Ebola exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In an updated advisory Wednesday, the WHO said there are now more than 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths from the virus, mostly in the DRC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But with two cases and one suspected death in neighboring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/uganda\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Uganda<\/a>, the organization said the risk of a global pandemic was very low, but the threat for countries in the region was severe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWe expect those numbers to keep increasing,\u201d Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO\u2019s director-general, said. \u201cWe know that the scale of the epidemic in DRC is much larger\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/ebola\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Ebola<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/germany\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Germany<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/europe-news\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Europe<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/africa\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Africa<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/uganda\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Uganda<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US%20doctor%20who%20contracted%20Ebola%20in%20the%20DRC%20flown%20to%20Germany%20for%20treatment&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/may\/20\/ebola-outbreak-us-doctor-germany?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Fmay%2F20%2Febola-outbreak-us-doctor-germany&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=world\/2026\/may\/20\/ebola-outbreak-us-doctor-germany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Medical supplies await loading on to a United Nations Organization stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo plane at Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi, Kenya, on 20 &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/20\/us-doctor-who-contracted-ebola-in-the-drc-flown-to-germany-for-treatment\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1532\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cnnglobalnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}