TheCable

An American freelance cameraman working for NBC News in Liberia has tested positive for Ebola, and is to be flown home to the US for treatment, the network said on Thursday. Since the outbreak of the viral disease in February, this is the first time a journalist would test positive.

The 33-year-old journalist, Ashoka Mukpo, is also the fifth US citizen to contract Ebola.

American aid workers Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol became the first US citizens diagnosed with Ebola during the current outbreak when they were infected in Monrovia in July.

Last month, Dr Rick Sacra tested positive after working at a local hospital, also in Liberia.

While Brantly, Writebol and Sacra have all been released, a fourth unnamed American contracted the virus days ago and is being treated at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta.

More than 3000 people have died from EVD in four West African countries, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea being the worst hit.

Mukpo, who was only hired by NBC News on Tuesday, came down with symptoms – including fever and aches – on Wednesday.

His situation invokes memories of Justina Echelonu, the Nigerian nurse who contracted and died of Ebola, after assuming work at First Consultant Hospital just one day after Liberian index case, Patrick Sawyer, was admitted.

Mukpo then quarantined himself and sought medical advice. On Thursday morning, he went to a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) treatment centre to be tested for the virus, and the positive result came back just under 12 hours later.

NBC news president Deborah Turness informed staff of the news in a statement.

“We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible,” he said.

“He will be flown back to the United States for treatment at a medical centre that is equipped to handle Ebola patients.”

Ms Turness added that the rest of the NBC crew, including the network’s chief medical editor, Dr Nancy Snyderman, were being flown back to the US on a private charter flight and would be placed under quarantine for 21 days.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people in Texas are being monitored for exposure to Ebola, after Liberian national, Thomas Eric Duncan, was diagnosed with the virus in Dallas.

He flew to the US two weeks ago to visit relatives.

Duncan was the first person diagnosed on US soil and on Thursday, Liberian officials said they would prosecute him for lying about his Ebola status on a questionnaire prior to leaving the country.