Doctor who contracted Ebola lived in Lexington for 5 years, studied at UK

An American doctor who contracted Ebola while serving as a missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo previously lived in Lexington for five years while completing his residency at the University of Kentucky.

Peter Stafford, 39, was a surgical resident at UK from 2013 to 2018, and his wife Rebekah Stafford was an OB/GYN resident from 2013 to 2017, university spokesperson Kristi Willett confirmed Wednesday.

A May 21 news release on Serge, an international Christian missions organization, included a statement from Stafford, the Ebola-infected American medical missionary who had lived in Lexington.

“Before I was evacuated I was feeling really concerned I wasn’t going to make it. And now I’m cautiously optimistic,” Stafford said in a news release.

Dr. Scott Myhre, Serge’s area director for East and Central Africa, said in the Thursday statement that Peter Stafford is critically ill but not acutely deteriorating.

“I was able to speak with Peter briefly by phone on the morning of May 21 and he reports he’s feeling better than he was yesterday and is beginning to eat small amounts of food. Peter is continuing to show the predictable sequence of Ebola signs and symptoms. He passed through the first days of nonspecific symptoms (fever, aches, fatigue), and has now passed into a phase with vomiting, diarrhea, and rash, with labs trending slightly in the right direction,” Myre said.

A May 20 news release on Serge, an international Christian missions organization, confirmed “that American medical missionary Dr. Peter Stafford is now receiving Ebola-specific care at Berlin’s Charite University Hospital in Germany. As of today, all Serge workers with potential exposure have been safely evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”

Stafford has also received two intravenous treatments designed to improve Ebola outcomes,” Myhre said Thursday.

“The German care teams rotate in 3 hour shifts since they must wear full-body hazmat suits as they care for him. We’re thankful for their dedication and expertise.”

Dr. Peter Stafford’s wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children landed in Berlin just before 10:00 p.m. local time and have moved into a separate space within Berlin’s Charite University Hospital,” the statement said. “They are all asymptomatic and will continue to isolate and be monitored. Dr. Peter Stafford’s family was able to see him through a window and the hospital staff say they hope to provide that level of access periodically. Both Drs. Stafford say they were relieved to have had the opportunity to see each other and were finally able to have their first few hours of peaceful sleep following the window greeting.”

Ebola is a virus spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An outbreak of the virus has been identified in the Congo, with 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths reported as of May 16.

Peter Stafford tested positive for Bundibugyo ebolavirus while working with patients in hospitals in Nyankunde in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province, where an ebola outbreak has been identified, according to Serge. His wife, children, and another doctor are being quarantined and monitored for symptoms.

The couple met in medical school at Ohio State University and were married in 2013. They lived in Lexington for five years while completing their residencies at UK, and have three children, according to a post about the Staffords on the Serge website.

“The complex, coordinated efforts of many government agencies and international health authorities resulted in Peter Stafford’s safe transport and the protection of those involved in his transfer. Serge leadership extends their deepest gratitude to all involved in Peter’s care and is praying for all involved in the fight to end this ebolavirus outbreak for the good of the people of the DRC,” the statement said.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 5:24 PM.