France has confirmed its first case of Ebola virus disease after a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for the virus, health authorities announced on Wednesday.
The case marks the first confirmed Ebola infection recorded on French soil and the first detected outside Africa during the current outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
According to the French Health Ministry, the infected doctor was immediately isolated upon arrival in the country, even before laboratory tests officially confirmed the diagnosis.
Authorities said the patient had recently returned from the DRC, where health officials are battling the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern province of Ituri.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring developments, according to his office.
Health experts have noted that while the outbreak remains a concern, the overall risk of widespread international transmission is considered low due to Ebola’s relatively limited contagiousness compared to other infectious diseases.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available.
French health authorities said they are continuing to monitor the situation and implement measures aimed at preventing further transmission.
AFP
