An American doctor working with a medical missionary organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has tested positive for Ebola, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced. The individual is being transported to Germany for treatment. “U.S. missionary organization Serge says one of its medical missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Peter Stafford, has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after treating patients at a hospital,” Fox News reports. “Serge says two other missionaries who treated patients in the region, including Stafford’s wife, remain asymptomatic and are following quarantine protocols as officials respond to a growing Ebola outbreak in the region,” it added. BREAKING: An American missionary has tested positive for Ebola. U.S. missionary organization Serge says one of its medical missionaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Peter Stafford, has tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after treating patients at a… — Fox News (@FoxNews) May 18, 2026 NBC News shared further: The World Health Organization over the weekend declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. More than 330 suspected cases and at least 88 suspected deaths have been reported in Congo. Uganda has two confirmed cases, including one death, among people who traveled from Congo. The Bundibugyo virus involved in the outbreak leads to a rare type of Ebola for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. There have been only a couple of previous Bundibugyo outbreaks — one in Uganda in 2007 and one in Congo in 2012. The fatality rate during those outbreaks ranged from 30% to 50%, according to the WHO. Pillai said the CDC and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response are “looking at monoclonal therapies,” which use antibodies to neutralize the virus. The therapies have shown some potential to prevent or treat Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus in rhesus monkeys The disease usually starts with symptoms like fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, then progresses to gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain, with bleeding or bruising in some cases, as well. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids (such as blood, vomit or feces) or surfaces contaminated with those fluids. The CDC also announced a U.S. entry ban on foreign travelers who have recently been in the African countries impacted by the outbreak – the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and South Sudan. CDC Announces Travel Restrictions For African Countries Impacted By Ebola Outbreak “This suspension Order applies to covered aliens who have departed from, or were otherwise present within, DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan during the last 21 days (regardless of their country of origin). This Order is based on an assessment of the most recently available data and current conditions regarding the Ebola disease outbreak,” a CDC order read. “This order is time-limited and shall be in effect for 30 days from the date of issuance. This Order is intended to address the serious risk of introduction of Ebola disease into the United States, while allowing the U.S. Government the time necessary to conduct a full assessment of the unique public health risks posed by Ebola disease, assist with implementing surveillance, diagnostic capabilities and contact tracing, and develop a comprehensive mitigation and containment strategy in consultation with other stakeholders,” it continued. CBS News has more: The first suspected case in this outbreak was a health worker who reported symptoms starting on April 24 and died at a medical center in Bunia, the WHO said. Since then, suspected cases have grown significantly and crossed country borders. Several factors, including the location of the outbreak — an urban area with significant population mobility — and attacks by armed groups in the region, have health officials concerned about further spread. The outbreak is only the third known outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain, one of the viruses that causes Ebola disease. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is no vaccine or treatment for this strain, which was first discovered in Uganda in 2007.