Another American has been infected with the ebola virus while working in Liberia, NBC News reports.
The 33-year-old man, who was not identified by name, was working as a freelance camera operator for NBC News as part of a crew of five that featured the network's top medical reporter Dr. Nancy Snyderman, who has been in Monrovia reporting on the outbreak.
That makes the cameraman the fourth American to contract the often-deadly virus in Liberia. Two doctors were in infected in July, Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, and a third, Dr. Rick Sacra, was diagnosed last month.
The cameraman will be flown back to the States for treatment, NBC said. Snyderman and the rest of the crew will also be brought home to the U.S. via private jet. Once they arrive, they will be placed on quarantine and monitored for 21 days.
NBC News President Deborah Turness sent a note to the NBC staff, which NBC released in its entirety:
All:
As you know, Dr. Nancy Snyderman and our news team are in Liberia covering the Ebola outbreak. One of the members of their crew is an American freelance cameraman who has worked in Liberia for the past three years and has recently been covering the epidemic for US media outlets. On Tuesday he began working with our team. Today, he tested positive for Ebola.
We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible. He will be flown back to the United States for treatment at a medical center that is equipped to handle Ebola patients. We are consulting with the CDC, Medecins Sans Frontieres and others. And we are working with Dr. Nancy on the ground in Liberia.
We are also taking all possible measures to protect our employees and the general public. The rest of the crew, including Dr. Nancy, are being closely monitored and show no symptoms or warning signs. However, in an abundance of caution, we will fly them back on a private charter flight and then they will place themselves under quarantine in the United States for 21 days – which is at the most conservative end of the spectrum of medical guidance.
We know you share our concern for our colleagues and we will continue to keep you up to date and informed. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or David Verdi with any questions.
The news comes just two days after the first case of ebola was diagnosed inside the United States.
[Via Deadline]
