Ebola: American Doctor Evacuated from Congo, Reads Messages of Colleagues' Deaths in Quarantine

American doctor and Christian missionary Patrick LaRochelle has been evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo amid the ongoing Ebola epidemic. LaRochelle, who was potentially exposed to the virus during his work, is currently in quarantine in Prague, awaiting results to determine if he has contracted the deadly hemorrhagic fever.

This marks LaRochelle's second evacuation due to an Ebola outbreak; he was previously evacuated in 2018. Reflecting on these experiences, LaRochelle told The Washington Post that the two times he felt most proud of his American identity were during these evacuations. He expressed sorrow that "the same is not available to the vast majority of people, like my friends in Congo."

LaRochelle, 46, worked at the Centre Medical Evangelique hospital in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. He noted that patients began dying at an alarming rate, initially attributing unusual symptoms in two sisters to HIV rather than Ebola, the 17th outbreak in Congo's history. He recalled instances where he might not have worn a mask while attempting to resuscitate one of the sisters, and used only one glove when drawing blood from a boy who later died of internal bleeding. All three patients originated from Mongbwalu, 75 kilometers away, considered the epicenter of the current outbreak.

As of the report, Congo has recorded 48 confirmed Ebola deaths and 343 confirmed infections. Neighboring Uganda has reported one confirmed death and nine confirmed infections. LaRochelle received news of the epidemic via a WhatsApp message just 20 minutes before boarding a flight to the U.S. with his wife and three children. While U.S. authorities allowed his family to travel on a regular flight, they mandated LaRochelle's quarantine before his return home. He currently shows no symptoms. Unlike the Trump administration's reluctance to bring Ebola-exposed individuals into the U.S., LaRochelle was evacuated to the U.S. in 2014 during West Africa's largest Ebola epidemic. In Prague, LaRochelle has been reading messages about the deaths of his colleagues, including one received during his interview with The Washington Post. He noted that protective equipment and measures in Congo are often inadequate, with gloves and soap sometimes unavailable, and handwashing not practiced as frequently as recommended. LaRochelle acknowledged the practical challenges, stating, "If you approach it too strictly, it makes you incapable of functioning in Congo."

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Kaksi kertaa, jolloin olen ollut ehkä ylpein amerikkalaisuudestani kymmenen viime vuoden aikana, ovat evakuointini. Tuntuu pahalta, että samaa ei ole tarjolla selvälle enemmistölle ihmisistä, kuten ystävilleni Kongossa.