Medair confirms Ebola infection of staff member 

Ecublens, Switzerland, 6 November, 2026 — Medair confirms that one of its international staff members working in the Ebola response in Democratic Republic of the Congo, has tested positive for Ebola. 

Our thoughts are with our colleague, their family and the wider team. The colleague has arrived safely at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where they are receiving specialised medical care following an evacuation coordinated with the relevant health authorities under strict infection prevention and control protocols.

As soon as our colleague reported potential symptoms, we immediately activated infection prevention and control measures, contact tracing and staff support, in line with DR Congo and World Health Organization protocols. We are reviewing all available information to understand the circumstances of the infection and to identify whether any additional measures may be required.

Medair remains committed to supporting the Ebola response in DR Congo alongside the Ministry of Health and our partners, while protecting the safety and wellbeing of our staff, patients and communities. The outbreak has infected more than 10,000 people and claimed over 5,000 lives since May, making it the largest recorded Ebola outbreak in the DRC [1]. Frontline health workers face significant risks, despite rigorous infection prevention measures. Medair takes comprehensive precautions consistent with established Ebola protocols to protect its teams, recognising that these risks cannot be entirely eliminated.

Medair continues to provide lifesaving healthcare throughout eastern DR Congo. Our teams support more than 50 health facilities, providing care to approximately 10,500 patients every week. Medair also operates three Ebola Treatment Centres in eastern DR Congo. We remain committed to maintaining essential health services and supporting the Ebola response wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so. ‍
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Media contact

Stefan Kewitz, Global Communications Advisor 

Medair International | Chemin du Croset 9 | 1024 Ecublens, Switzerland 

+41 78 309 89 43

media@medair.org  

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About Medair

Medair is an international Christian humanitarian organisation founded in 1989, headquartered in Switzerland, specialising in emergency response and recovery. Medair was part of the Ebola response in 2018-2020 in DR Congo as well as the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Medair has been active from the first day of the current Ebola outbreak supporting health facilities and Ebola Treatment Centres in several locations in Ituri and Nord Kivu Provinces.

We are guided by the humanitarian principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.

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Sources:

[1] https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/65c1ed46cf6a2e2bc997d209/6ae9a062191b1388171de81f_final_draft_SitRep_MVE_RDC_N_170_31-10-2026.pdf

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