US aid worker tests positive for Ebola as Congo battles worsening outbreak

A United States citizen working for a humanitarian organisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, as health authorities race to contain what has been described as Africa’s fastest-growing outbreak of the disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the case on Friday, saying it is working with the individual’s employer, U.S. government agencies, Congolese health authorities and other partners to prevent further transmission and trace possible contacts.

The agency did not disclose the identity of the infected aid worker or provide details about where the person is receiving treatment.The latest case comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo struggles to contain a rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak. According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the country has recorded 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths, making it the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on the continent.

The outbreak has also spread beyond Congo’s borders, with infections confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.Earlier in the current outbreak, another American healthcare worker who contracted Ebola in Congo was transferred to Germany for specialist treatment.

Congolese authorities officially declared the outbreak on 15 May, although the World Health Organization (WHO) said investigations showed the virus had been circulating for several weeks before it was detected.

Health experts say the outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment.

Efforts to contain the disease have been complicated by insecurity in eastern Congo, attacks on health facilities and funding shortages, which have disrupted surveillance and response operations.

However, health authorities recently began clinical trials of experimental treatments in a bid to improve patient outcomes and curb the spread of the virus.Ebola is a severe viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.

Symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea, and in severe cases can progress to internal bleeding, organ failure and death.

Public health officials continue to intensify surveillance, contact tracing and community awareness campaigns as they seek to prevent further spread of the disease within the region and beyond.