France has announced its first confirmed case of Ebola on its territory after a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) tested positive for the virus.
According to the French health ministry, the case is linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC and is the first confirmed infection detected outside Africa during the current outbreak. The patient, a doctor, was reportedly isolated immediately upon arrival in France, before the disease was officially confirmed.
The ministry said the case was identified in mainland France and that health authorities had activated appropriate monitoring and response measures.
The development marks the first time Ebola has been detected in France. During the 2014 West African Ebola epidemic, two infected patients were transported to France for treatment, but both had been diagnosed before arriving in the country.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation, according to his office.
The current outbreak in the DRC was officially declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern province of Ituri. The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Health experts have nevertheless stressed that the risk of widespread international transmission remains low. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals and is generally considered less contagious than airborne diseases.
The outbreak has also affected Uganda, prompting increased surveillance efforts across the region.
