By Oluwakemi Kindnes
France on Wednesday confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola virus disease on its territory after a doctor who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive.
The Health Ministry said the case marks the first time Ebola has been detected in France and the first confirmed case outside Africa during the current outbreak, which has also affected Uganda.
According to the ministry, the infected doctor had been isolated immediately upon arrival in France, even before the disease was officially confirmed.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation, his office said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15 after a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri province.
Health authorities say the current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Public health experts, however, say the risk of global spread remains low due to the virus’s limited transmissibility.
