U.S. aid worker contracts Ebola in DR Congo as outbreak widens

A U.S. citizen working for a humanitarian group in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, adding to a fast-spreading outbreak that has approximately 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths, with cases also in Uganda. The CDC says it is coordinating with the employer, U.S. agencies and Congolese partners to identify contacts and prevent further transmission. The Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no approved vaccine or treatment and containment is hindered by funding gaps, attacks on health centers and ongoing eastern Congo conflict; previously, an American doctor infected in Congo was treated in Germany and U.S. plans to relocate exposed personnel to Kenya were halted by a Kenyan court. Clinical trials for treatments began earlier this month.