Missionary group SIM USA has confirmed that another American doctor that was on a medical mission to help people in West Africa had tested positive for the Ebola virus. The yet unidentified doctor is now the third American missionary to have contracted a virus over the past six weeks.
According to the International Christian organization, the doctor was in one of the group's hospitals in Monrovia, Liberia treating patients in an obstetrics ward when he noticed symptoms of the disease emerging. The doctor was able to immediately quarantine himself before being transferred to a special Ebola isolation unit. He is reportedly "doing well and is in good spirits." SIM USA has not revealed other information about the doctor including his age, or how long he has been stationed in West Africa. They have, however, confirmed that they are still in the process of determining the circumstances under which the doctor had contracted the virus.
In late July, two other American medical missionaries became infected with the deadly virus. Both patients have already been evacuated from the region and brought to an isolation hospital in Atlanta to receive treatment. Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol have now been declared symptom-free and were both discharged from the hospital two weeks ago. The same organization that brought them back stateside has not yet responded to questions of whether the latest infected doctor is going to be evacuated to the United States as well.
In relation to this latest development, SIM USA president, Bruce Johnson, released a written statement saying, "My heart was deeply saddened, but my faith was not shaken, when I learned another of our missionary doctors contracted Ebola. As a global mission, we are surrounding our missionaries with prayer, as well as our Liberian SIM/ELWA colleagues, who continue fighting the Ebola epidemic in Liberia. We have gifted Liberian doctors, medical staff, and support staff, who are carrying on the fight." The organization will be having a press conference on Wednesday for more details into the situation.