Ebola-infected US citizen to be treated in Germany

WorldHealth & Fitness
19 May 2026 • 5:49 PM MYT
DPA International
DPA International

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Image from: Ebola-infected US citizen to be treated in Germany
FILE PHOTO - An Ebola nurse at the CTE ALIMA BENI Ebola Treatment Centre cares for a child suspected of having Ebola (zu dpa: «Ebola-infected US citizen to be treated in Germany») Kitsa Musayi/dpa

A US citizen infected with the Ebola virus is to be treated in Germany.

The US authorities had asked the German government for help with his treatment, the Health Ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday, confirming what US health officials had previously announced.

The ministry added that preparations were currently being made to be able to admit the patient, but gave no further details.

The person had worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and tested positive late on Sunday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

Because of shorter flight times and Germany's experience in caring for Ebola patients, the infected person is being transferred to Germany, along with six high-risk contacts. No information was provided on their nationalities.

There were also no details on the exact treatment location in Germany.

According to US media reports, the infected person is a doctor. An international Christian missions organization said a US medical worker had contracted the virus while treating patients at a hospital in the DRC.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency over an Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda.

The outbreak involves a rare variant of the virus for which there is no vaccine. The risk of spread across the wider region is considered high.

According to African health agency Africa CDC, the outbreak probably began in the third week of April but was not reported until early May.