NBC cameraman contracts Ebola, will be flown to U.S.

A freelance cameraman working for NBC News in Liberia has contracted the deadly Ebola virus and will be flown back to the United States for treatment, the network said in a statement Thursday.

The man, identified only as a 33-year-old working with the network’s medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, became symptomatic on Wednesday, when he was said to be running a slight fever and feeling achy. Less than 12 hours later, medical tests confirmed he had contracted the virus.

“We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible. He will be flown back to the United States for treatment at a medical center that is equipped to handle Ebola patients,” NBC News President Deborah Turness said in a note to the network’s staff.

The cameraman had only begun working with Snyderman’s crew Tuesday, but had been working on projects in the country for other U.S. outlets, Turness’ memo said.

“The good news is this young man, our colleague, was admitted very, very early,” Snyderman told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.