Facing Ebola: A Physician’s Story from Congo to Prague

Democracy Dies in Darkness

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As the world watches the unfolding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Patrick LaRochelle, an American missionary physician, finds himself in a specialized hospital room in Prague awaiting the results of his Ebola test. Meanwhile, his former colleagues in the DRC are perishing as the disease takes its toll.

On May 26, 2026, as murmurs of what locals dubbed the “casket disease” spread, LaRochelle was just 20 minutes from boarding a flight that marked the beginning of his journey back to the United States. He planned to return for a summer visit with his wife and three children, hoping to escape the epidemic sweeping through Bunia, DRC.

Photographs captured by Moses Sawasawa depict the situation vividly. A Red Cross volunteer, committed to raising public awareness, engages with individuals in Bunia on Monday amidst the Ebola outbreak. These images underline the urgency and severity of the situation, as local communities confront the devastating spread.

Reports from mid-May highlighted the unsettling death waves of patients afflicted by Ebola. It is a grim reminder of the virus’s lethal progression, sowing fear and uncertainty among those directly affected and far beyond.

LaRochelle’s presence in Prague is emblematic of the precarious circumstances faced by healthcare workers who have served on the frontlines. His story underscores the risks and sacrifices made in battling outbreaks and the hope for a safe return to normalcy.