PARIS, France (Kaab TV) – France has confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after a doctor returning from a humanitarian mission in the central African country tested positive for the virus.
The French Health Ministry said the doctor was immediately admitted to a specialised medical facility and remains in a stable condition.
The patient has been placed in isolation, while health authorities have launched contact tracing efforts to identify and monitor anyone who may have been exposed.
Officials stressed that the risk to the general population in France and across Europe remains low.
The case marks France’s first confirmed Ebola infection associated with the current outbreak in the DRC, which was officially declared last month.
However, health experts believe the virus had been circulating in affected communities for several weeks before the outbreak was announced.
According to government data released on Tuesday, the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC has risen to 1,094, including 277 deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the outbreak has recorded the highest number of confirmed cases within the first month of any Ebola epidemic on record.
More than 1,000 people have been infected during the outbreak, making it one of the most severe Ebola crises in recent years.