First Ebola Case Confirmed in France, Patient Kept in Full Isolation

The French Ministry of Health has confirmed the first case of Ebola in France since the start of the current epidemic.

The infected person is a humanitarian doctor who recently returned from an area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where the virus remains active. He was immediately taken to a specialized hospital and is in stable condition.

According to health authorities, the case was detected in metropolitan France, while the patient has been placed in full isolation. Contact tracing is also under way, with the aim of preventing any possible spread of the infection.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the risk to the general population in Europe remains “low,” but stressed that the situation is being closely monitored.

According to reports by “Ouest France,” since mid-May around 1,000 infection cases and 254 deaths have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, although the real number may be higher due to underreporting.

French authorities, together with European health authorities, are following developments closely in order to prevent any further spread of the virus.