U.S. Doctor Recovers from Ebola After Treatment in Germany

Dr. Peter Stafford, an American physician, was recently discharged from a hospital in Germany after recovering from Ebola. He contracted the virus while participating in a humanitarian mission in Congo with the missionary group Serge.

On May 20, Dr. Stafford was flown to Berlin for medical care due to said virus infection. His wife Rebekah, also a doctor with Serge, and their four children were evacuated and kept isolated as a precaution.

Treatment occurred at Charité hospital in Berlin, renowned in Europe for its medical expertise. There, Dr. Stafford received antiviral treatments and other medical support during his initial week under care. The hospital stated his health steadily improved.

The initially high viral load decreased substantially under antiviral treatment and supportive care, Charité mentioned. By May 30, no virus traces appeared in daily tests.

The hospital explained that per international guidelines, the absence of symptoms for over 72 hours and negative PCR test results permitted lifting Dr. Stafford’s isolation as of noon on Saturday.

Neither his wife, Rebekah, nor their children showed symptoms of the disease during their quarantine. On Saturday, Dr. Stafford joyously reunited with them.

Health officials remain vigilant regarding the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak sweeping through Congo and into Uganda. This strain concerns experts due to its rarity and lack of vaccines or treatments, raising fears of a more extensive outbreak than current figures suggest.