First American Tests Positive for Bundibugyo Virus in DRC, Evacuated to Germany

Dr. Peter Stafford, an American medical missionary physician at Nyankunde Hospital in Bunia, DRC, tested positive for Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease on 17 May 2026. Stafford, who had been working in northeastern DRC since 2023, was exposed while caring for infected patients. He was medically evacuated to Germany for treatment and care. His wife, another doctor at the same charity, and four children — all asymptomatic — were also transferred to Germany for observation. CDC confirmed the case and stated that the risk to the US public 'remains low.' This was the first American citizen infected in the 2026 Bundibugyo outbreak.