France has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a doctor returned from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The health ministry reported the patient was admitted immediately to a specialised facility and is currently stable.
The DR Congo outbreak, first announced last month, may have been circulating for weeks before being recognised. Officially, the country reports over 1,000 confirmed infections and more than 260 deaths.
This is the first confirmed case in Europe; an American doctor treated in Germany last month was also identified as positive while still in DR Congo.
Uganda, a neighbour of DR Congo, has reported 20 infections and two deaths related to the virus.
The French health ministry reassures the public that the risk to the population is very low, while authorities are actively tracing any contacts of the patient.
Healthcare workers face heightened danger, as Ebola spreads through bodily fluids. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which no vaccine currently exists.
France has established a monitoring system for aid workers returning from DR Congo. Both Africa's CDC and U.S. public health agencies warn that the outbreak could become one of the largest ever.
In DR Congo, cases are concentrated in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu, with Ituri accounting for over 90% of confirmed infections. Conflict in eastern DR Congo hampers control efforts as the M23 rebel group controls large regions of North and South Kivu.
