American Doctor in Liberia Tests Positive for Ebola

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(MONROVIA, Liberia) — An American doctor working with an international relief organization in Liberia tested positive for the Ebola virus.

Dr. Kent Brantly had been working as the medical director for Samaritan’s Purse, an organization working to provide aid to those affected by the spread of Ebola. Brantly is undergoing treatment in an isolation center and was reported to be sitting up in his isolated hospital bed and working on his computer after he contracted the deadly virus this week.

Samaritan’s Purse released a statement saying that it was “committed to doing everything possible to help Dr. Brantly during this time of crisis.”

Later on Sunday, the organization announced another American contracted the disease. Nancy Writebol is employed by SIM in Liberia and was helping the joint SIM/Samaritan’s Purse team that is treating Ebola patients at the Case Management Center in Monrovia.

SIM manages ELWA Hospital in Morovia, and the two organizations have been working closely to combat Ebola since the current outbreak began in Liberia in March.

Writebol is married with two children.

Also on Sunday, the disease took the life of a high-profile African doctor, Samuel Brisbane.

Ebola, a contagious and deadly disease, is spreading in part because of trade across the borders of three countries: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, health officials said. The World Health Organization reported at least 930 cases of Ebola in the three countries, with the virus causing over 580 deaths.

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