An American working in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, US health officials confirmed, the first known infection of a US citizen in an outbreak that has killed more than a hundred people in central Africa.
The patient developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late on Sunday. The Christian relief organisation Serge identified him as Dr Peter Stafford, a missionary physician. His wife, Dr Rebekah Stafford, and another doctor are being monitored but have not developed symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the infected American would be flown to Germany for treatment, and that six other Americans would also travel to Germany for observation as a precaution.
In response, the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security said they had begun enhanced screening, entry restrictions and other public-health measures at airports and ports of entry to reduce the risk of the virus reaching the United States. Travellers arriving from the affected region face additional checks.
The outbreak, centred in remote areas of the DRC and neighbouring Uganda, has grown to close to 500 suspected cases and at least 116 deaths, according to health authorities. The figures have risen steadily over the past two weeks.
It is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a less common variant of the virus. The World Health Organization last week declared the outbreak a global health emergency, its highest level of alert, citing the speed of transmission and the strain on local health systems.
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people and has a high fatality rate without prompt treatment. Health workers, who come into close contact with patients, are among those most at risk, a pattern reflected in previous outbreaks.
US officials sought to reassure the public, saying the risk to the general population in the United States remained low and that the screening measures were precautionary. They urged Americans in the affected region to follow guidance from local authorities and the CDC.