US doctor diagnosed with Ebola ‘barely strong enough to walk’ before treatment

WorldHealth & Fitness
20 May 2026 • 9:42 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

US doctor diagnosed with Ebola ‘barely strong enough to walk’ before treatment

  • The US doctor who tested positive for Ebola was too weak to stand by himself by the time he was flown to Germany to receive treatment, according to a report.
  • Dr Peter Stafford, a US medical missionary, tested positive for the Bundibugyo Ebola virus while serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • He was flown to Germany for treatment, with colleagues describing him as 'really tired' and 'really sick' and barely able to walk upon departure.
  • Stafford likely contracted the virus after operating on a patient who later died and was subsequently suspected of having Ebola.
  • The current Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO, with high fatality rates.

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