First Ebola case diagnosed in France in doctor returning from DRC

French Minister of Health Stéphanie Rist stated that five individuals who had close contact with the patient on a flight from Kinshasa to Paris have been identified and placed in isolation. The doctor, who works for the humanitarian NGO Alima, was asymptomatic when boarding the flight, experiencing only headaches, but his condition slightly deteriorated during the journey. He reportedly followed all health guidelines, was isolated upon arrival at the airport, and transported to a specialized hospital.

The Ministry of Health noted that his viral load is very low and he is in stable condition. This marks the first confirmed case outside of Africa related to the current DRC epidemic. The DRC's Ebola outbreak has recorded 1,048 cases and 267 deaths, with a fatality rate of approximately 25%.

This particular outbreak involves a rare strain of the virus, Bundibugyo, for which there is no specific vaccine or treatment. The World Health Organization WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC have both indicated that the risk of transmission remains low globally and for the general European population. Alima is investigating how the contamination occurred, as humanitarian workers are typically advised to quarantine for three weeks