The network reported the freelancer, identified as Ashoka Mukpo, was just hired Tuesday to be a second cameraman for its medical editor, Nancy Snyderman, a physician. It said the freelancer, who has been working in Liberia for some time, showed symptoms Wednesday, and was feeling "tired and achy" before being tested.
The network said the 33-year old cameraman, who is also a writer, was taken to a Doctors Without Borders treatment center and that the positive result came back 12 hours later.
He is the fourth American known to have contracted Ebola in Liberia, according to NBC. Another physician, reportedly American and working for the World Health Organization, was flown back to the United States after testing positive in Sierra Leone.
The network reported a statement from Mukpo's father, Mitchell Levy, late last night. "The doctors are optimistic about his prognosis," Levy said in a message to family and friends, according to NBC. He said his son "has been engaged with human rights work in West Africa for the last several years. When the Ebola outbreak occurred he felt compelled to return to Liberia to help shed light on how the crisis was being handled socially and politically."
"Having lived there for the last several years," the father said, "Ashoka was well aware of the risks but felt strongly about trying to help provide honest perspective from the ground level."
In an interview on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow show, Snyderman said that on Wednesday, Mukpo was feeling tired and achy. "In the field, we work long hours so thought maybe he just wasn't taking care of himself, and we sent him home to rest. He signed off, went home [and] called me later that evening with an elevated temperature."
As for her own return after having been in contact with Mukpo, she said "Because we know this is not a casually transmitted disease and because we don't have any symptoms, we present zero to minimal risk. Our returning to the U.S. is a very, very minimal chance of getting anyone [else] sick."
"We are doing everything we can to get him the best care possible," said NBC News president Deborah Turness in a note to the staff reported by the network. She continued:
"We are also taking all possible measures to protect our employees and the general public. The rest of the crew, including Dr. Nancy, are being closely monitored and show no symptoms or warning signs. However, in an abundance of caution, we will fly them back on a private charter flight and then they will place themselves under quarantine in the United States for 21 days - which is at the most conservative end of the spectrum of medical guidance."
So far, the only publicized cases of Americans contracting the virus have been medical personnel.
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