US doctor declared Ebola-free after treatment in German hospital

A United States doctor who contracted Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been discharged from a specialist hospital in Germany after making a full recovery, health officials confirmed on Saturday.

The patient, Dr Peter Stafford, was treated at Berlin’s Charité University Hospital after being airlifted from central Africa in May following infection with the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. He had been working as a medical missionary when he was exposed to the disease during the ongoing outbreak in Congo.

Hospital authorities said Stafford is now in good health and no traces of the virus have been detected in his body since the end of May. The decision to lift his isolation order followed medical assessments confirming that he no longer posed a transmission risk.

Stafford arrived in Germany on May 20 and was admitted to one of Europe’s most advanced high-containment treatment facilities. During his stay, he received specialised care and experimental therapies being evaluated for the treatment of the Bundibugyo variant.

His wife and four children, who were considered high-risk contacts, were also brought to Berlin and remained under observation. Health officials reported that none developed symptoms of Ebola during the monitoring period.

The recovery comes as health authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where hundreds of suspected cases have been reported.