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Ebola Doctor Recovers After Experimental Treatment in Germany
7 Jun
Summary
- US doctor recovered from rare Ebola strain after weeks of treatment.
- Experimental therapies were used in the patient's successful recovery.
- DRC Ebola cases rise to 488 amid international health emergency.
A physician from the United States, who contracted a rare Ebola strain while working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has successfully recovered following over two weeks of treatment in Germany. The patient, identified as a surgeon for a missionary group, was admitted to a Berlin hospital on May 20 after testing positive for the Bundibugyo virus.
He is believed to have been exposed while treating a patient in eastern DRC before the outbreak was officially declared. Flown to Germany under strict safety protocols, the doctor received care that included experimental therapies. His recovery is being hailed as a significant therapeutic success, although he noted the disparity in healthcare access for those in the Congo.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international public health emergency as the outbreak, which began in eastern DRC and has spread to Uganda, continues to grow. The DRC has reported 488 cases and 86 deaths, while Uganda has confirmed 19 cases and two deaths. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns this epidemic could become the largest on record.
