Washington thanks Germany for treating US Ebola patient in Berlin

The US government has thanked German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for treating a US citizen infected with the Ebola virus in a German hospital.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X on Wednesday: "Thank you to Chancellor Merz and our friends in Germany for their swift assistance in caring for Americans affected by the Ebola outbreak. We're grateful for your partnership."

A US national infected with the Ebola virus has been receiving treatment in a special ward at Berlin's Charité hospital since Wednesday. He contracted the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ebola is spreading rapidly.

The patient, who is a doctor himself, was flown to Germany for treatment after the US requested assistance from the German government.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had announced days earlier that, due to shorter flight times and experience in treating Ebola patients, the patient should be transferred to Germany.

The Charité hospital has an isolation unit with specialized infrastructure for treating patients with highly contagious, life-threatening infectious diseases. The closed and protected unit is separate from regular hospital operations, ensuring there can be no contact with other patients.

Ebola is a contagious and life-threatening infectious disease. The virus is transmitted through physical contact and contact with bodily fluids.

Rubio's message to Merz was closely watched, following diplomatic friction between Washington and Berlin in recent weeks.