WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday that one American has contracted Ebola “as part of their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)”.

“The person developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday,” Satish Pillai, the health agency’s Ebola response incident manager told journalists, adding that efforts were underway to transport the individual to Germany for treatment.

The official added that the United States (US) was attempting to evacuate six additional people for health monitoring.

Pillai said there are approximately 25 people working in the US field office in DRC, and that the CDC was fulfilling a request to send an additional senior technical coordinator.

“At this time, CDC assesses the immediate risk to the general US public as low, but we will continue to evaluate the evolving situation and may adjust public health measures as additional information becomes available,” the health agency said in a statement.

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for the strain responsible for the current spread of the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever.

Ninety-one reported deaths are suspected to have been caused by the current surge in cases, according to the latest figures released on Sunday by Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba.

Around 350 suspected cases have been reported. Most of those affected are aged between 20 and 39 and more than 60 per cent are women.

The United States under President Donald Trump formally withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) this year.

In recent days US officials have avoided questions about how the administration’s cutting of the US Agency for International Development — which was key in responding to previous Ebola outbreaks — has impacted current efforts to monitor and manage the virus’s spread.

CDC officials have emphasised they are collaborating with international partners and health officials in impacted countries.

The public health measures announced Monday will include continued “deployment of CDC personnel to support outbreak containment efforts in affected regions” as well as assistance with contact tracing and laboratory testing, the agency said.