In brief
France has confirmed its first Ebola case after a doctor returned from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The doctor was admitted to a specialised facility and is stable. This marks the first Ebola case confirmed in Europe, following earlier treatment of an American doctor in Germany. The outbreak in DR Congo has claimed over 260 deaths, and experts warn it could become one of the largest ever.
The French health ministry confirms a doctor who returned from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has tested positive for Ebola. The patient was admitted immediately to a specialised facility and is reported to be in stable condition.
The outbreak began last month in DR Congo, but experts believe the virus had been circulating for weeks. Over 260 people have died and 1,000 have been infected in the central African country.
This is the first Ebola case confirmed in Europe. An American doctor who tested positive in DR Congo was treated at a German hospital the previous month.
Neighboring Uganda has also confirmed Ebola cases, with 20 people known to be infected and two deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that conflict in eastern DR Congo hampers containment efforts.
Health officials emphasise that the risk to the population is very low. Authorities are tracing contacts of the confirmed case and have set up a dedicated monitoring system for aid workers returning from DR Congo.
Healthcare workers are at high risk due to exposure to bodily fluids. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine is yet available.
For more details, visit the WHO website and monitor updates from the French Ministry of Health.
