Ebola In France: Health Worker Diagnosed After Mission In DR Congo
Photo Credit by John MACDOUGALL / AFP
France has recorded its first Ebola case linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), after a doctor who recently returned from a humanitarian mission tested positive for the virus, French health authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
According to the French Health Ministry, the healthcare worker had been serving in one of the regions affected by the outbreak before travelling back to France.
The ministry said the patient is currently receiving treatment at a specialised medical facility under strict biosafety measures.
“All precautionary measures, including the patient’s isolation, were implemented upon arrival in France, with transfer to the hospital under secure conditions to prevent any risk of contamination,” the ministry stated.
Health officials have launched an epidemiological investigation to trace and monitor anyone who may have come into contact with the patient.
Those identified will be advised to self-isolate for 21 days as a precautionary measure.
The development comes as the Ebola outbreak continues to spread in the DRC, with the northeastern Ituri province remaining the epicentre of the crisis.
Since May, more than 1,000 infections have been reported, while over 260 people have died from the disease. Cases have also been detected in neighbouring Uganda.
On May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” highlighting growing concerns over its international spread.
Unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks in the DRC, which were caused by the Ebola Zaire strain, the current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain. Health experts note that there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments specifically available for this variant.
French authorities have stressed that containment measures were activated immediately upon the patient’s arrival, and there is currently no indication of wider transmission within the country.
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