An American NBC cameraman working in Liberia tested positive for Ebola today and will be flown to the United States for treatment. The rest of the NBC crew—which includes Chief Medical Editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman—are reportedly being monitored and will be kept in quarantine.

The 33-year-old cameraman, whose name is being withheld, was working as a freelancer on assignment in Monrovia, Liberia. Three other NBC News employees, including Synderman, were on location with him.

According to NBC, the 33-year-old cameraman became tired and achy Wednesday and discovered he was running a slight fever. On Thursday, he checked himself into a hospital and tested positive for the virus.

NBC News president Deborah Turness reportedly wrote a staff memo alerting employees that the freelancer will be flown back to the United States for treatment.

"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."

Yesterday, the Washington Post's health editor, Lenny Bernstein, published a story illustrating how easy it could be to get infected while covering the story in Liberia.

You don't touch anyone in Liberia. Not kids, not adults, not other Westerners, not the colleagues you arrived with. It is the rule of rules, because while everyone able is taking precautions, you just can't be sure where the invisible, lethal Ebola virus might be. Once the virus is on your fingers, it would be frighteningly easy to rub an eye and infect yourself.

...

Maintaining that constant vigilance, especially while wearing long sleeves and pouring sweat in the Liberian humidity, is mentally taxing. As is watching the virus's mounting toll day after day. It's almost impossible not to slip. Once I put my hand on a slim wood railing on the path to the entrance of Brown's treatment center. "Don't touch that," he said quickly but calmly. "Come, wash your hands." I spent a while at the chlorine keg, rubbing the liquid into my skin.

[image via AP]