A United States citizen working for a humanitarian organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has tested positive for the Ebola virus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency reported it is coordinating with the individual’s employer, US government bodies, Congolese health authorities, and international partners to limit further transmission and trace close contacts, though it provided no additional details.

The announcement comes amid what health officials describe as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded in Africa. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,830 confirmed cases and 648 deaths in Congo to date. Neighboring Uganda has also identified cases linked to the outbreak.

Earlier this month, an American doctor contracted Ebola while working in Congo and was evacuated to Germany for treatment. Initial plans by the US administration to transfer exposed Americans to a newly established medical facility in Kenya were halted following a Kenyan court ruling suspending the project.

The outbreak was officially declared by Congolese authorities on May 15, although the World Health Organization noted the virus had been circulating undetected for several weeks prior. This flare-up is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rare form for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists.

Efforts to contain the disease have been challenged by multiple factors, including a shortage of funding, attacks on health centers, and ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak. These obstacles have complicated response efforts and heightened concern among regional and international health officials.