FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Holly McAfee
Director of Communications, Serge
news@serge.org
101 West Avenue, Suite 305
Jenkintown, PA 19046
www.serge.org
________________________________________
BUNIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — May 19, 2026 —Serge, an international Christian missions organization, confirmed today that American medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford has been safely evacuated and is receiving specialized medical treatment after testing positive for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus while serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Dr. Stafford, a board-certified general surgeon with a specialization in burn care, was serving patients in Bunia, in eastern DRC’s Ituri Province, where an Ebola outbreak was recently identified. Following the onset of the outbreak, he began to develop symptoms and received a positive test result for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant. He has been transferred for advanced medical care.
Two additional physicians who were potentially exposed — Dr. Rebekah Stafford and Dr. Patrick LaRochelle — remain asymptomatic and continue to follow established quarantine and monitoring protocols. All medical personnel involved adhered carefully to international standards throughout their service.
Serge leadership expressed gratitude for the coordinated international response.
“Our hearts are with the Stafford family and with the Congolese communities facing this outbreak,” said Matt Allison, Executive Director of Serge. “Peter and Rebekah have faithfully served vulnerable communities in Nyankunde with extraordinary compassion and courage. We are deeply grateful for the medical teams, government agencies, and international partners working together to provide care, contain the outbreak, and protect lives. Serge’s experienced leadership and field personnel know the Ituri region well and have previously served during Ebola response efforts. We are praying for healing, protection, and mercy for all affected.”
Serge is asking for continued prayer for Dr. Peter Stafford, his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, their four young children, the medical teams serving in the region, and the Congolese communities impacted by the outbreak.
Out of respect for the family’s privacy, Serge requests that media outlets refrain from contacting family members directly or publishing images of the Stafford children.
Additional updates will be provided as verified information becomes available.
________________________________________
American Medical Missionary Tests Positive for Ebola
in Democratic Republic of Congo
BUNIA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — May 18, 2026 — Serge, an international Christian missions organization, confirmed today that medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford has tested positive for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus variant in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr. Stafford was exposed while treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital, where he has served with Serge since 2023.
Dr. Stafford sought testing under the guidance of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) after presenting symptoms consistent with the virus.
Dr. Stafford is currently one of three Serge medical missionaries who were treating patients in the region when the outbreak began. The other two physicians, including his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and Dr. Patrick LaRochelle, remain asymptomatic. All three medical professionals have strictly adhered to established quarantine protocols since the potential exposure.
Serge leadership is grateful for international cooperation to safely care for Dr. Peter Stafford, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, their four young children, and Dr. Patrick LaRochelle in a location where they can undergo continued risk monitoring and receive specialized medical care.
“Our medical teams labor in some of the most demanding settings in the world, serving vulnerable communities who have limited access to healthcare,” said Joel Hylton, Serge’s Senior Director of Mission. “We are profoundly grateful for their dedication to the people of the DRC, and we deeply lament the hardship they are enduring under this current threat. Our concern extends equally to our Congolese colleagues and friends in the region who face these same risks.”
This diagnosis follows a joint announcement on Friday, May 15, by the Africa CDC and the DRC’s Ministry of Health confirming a new Ebola epidemic in the Ituri Province. To date, authorities have documented 390 suspected cases and 100 fatalities. The epicenter of the outbreak is located in Mongwalu, approximately 25 miles north of the Serge team’s base in Bunia.
Serge requests urgent prayer and support for the health, protection, and resilience of the affected families, their medical colleagues, and the local Congolese communities currently impacted by the outbreak.
We ask that you respect the families’ privacy at this time and refrain from contacting them directly or using photos of their children. Further updates will be provided as official information becomes available. All inquiries should be directed to Holly McAfee, Director of Communications at news@serge.org.
About Serge
Serge is an international mission organization that sends workers to serve globally in healthcare, education, church planting, business, and community development, partnering with local communities to bring hope and restoration to some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Serge sends and cares for more than 325 missionaries in 29 countries.
