U.S. doctor with Ebola feared he “wasn’t going to make it” before evacuation from Congo
An American doctor, Dr. Peter Stafford, working with the medical missionary organization Serge in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has tested positive for the deadly Ebola virus. Despite his initial concerns about his survival, Dr. Stafford has expressed cautious optimism as he fights the virus. He, along with his wife Dr. Rebekah Stafford and their four children, has been evacuated to a hospital in Berlin, Germany, for treatment and isolation.
The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in Congo, which has also spread to neighboring Uganda, is more extensive than officially reported, with nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Dr. Stafford was exposed to the virus while performing surgery at Nyankunde Hospital in Bunia, where he has been working since 2023. Ebolaviruses are transmitted through bodily fluids, making medical personnel at high risk if exposed to infected patients.
This outbreak marks only the third known occurrence of the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no known vaccine or treatment. Initial symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, which can progress to more severe symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, organ dysfunction, and in some cases, internal or external bleeding. The fatality rate for the Bundibugyo strain ranges from 30 to 50%, as per the WHO.
Dr. Scott Myhre, the Serge director for East and Central Africa, has described Dr. Stafford as critically ill but stable. Despite experiencing Ebola symptoms such as vomiting, rash, and diarrhea, Dr. Stafford has shown slight improvement in his lab results. While there is no specific treatment for this ebolavirus, supportive care including rehydration and symptom management is provided to patients. Dr. Stafford has received intravenous treatments aimed at improving his outcomes.
In a touching moment, hospital staff allowed Dr. Stafford to see his wife and children through a hospital window, as they remain asymptomatic and isolated for monitoring. Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, another Serge doctor potentially exposed to the virus, is in quarantine in Prague, Czech Republic. The U.S. State Department has implemented travel restrictions for U.S. citizens and permanent residents returning from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan to Washington-Dulles International Airport.
Dr. Stafford’s condition is being closely monitored, and he is receiving the best care available. Serge’s executive director, Matt Allison, has reassured that despite being away from his family, Dr. Stafford is in good hands. The organization continues to provide updates on Dr. Stafford’s progress and the situation in Congo as health officials work to contain the outbreak.
