First case of Ebola in France: doctor returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo, tested positive

The French Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday that a doctor, returning from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, tested positive for the Ebola virus, marking the first diagnosed case in France.

The patient is isolated, and authorities are conducting an investigation to identify the individuals with whom he came into contact, who will be placed in home quarantine for 21 days. The epidemic in the DRC has affected over 1,000 people, with 267 deaths, and the World Health Organization has reported an acceleration in the transmission of the disease.

Although the risk to the European population is considered low, the Ministry of Health emphasized that all precautionary measures have been taken, including the transfer of the patient to a specialized hospital. This is the first time a case of Ebola has been diagnosed in France, although in 2014, two patients diagnosed abroad were treated.

The current epidemic involves a rare strain, Bundibugyo, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment.