France reports Ebola infection in doctor back from DR Congo mission
French officials say the doctor is isolated in hospital as authorities trace contacts after a mission in an Ebola-hit area of DR Congo.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
France has confirmed an Ebola infection in a doctor who returned from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the French Health Ministry said Wednesday. The case is the first reported in France during the current outbreak, and authorities said they have begun tracing possible contacts.
The ministry said the doctor had worked in an area where Ebola was spreading. It said isolation and other safety steps were put in place when the patient arrived in France, before transfer to a hospital under controlled conditions.
According to the ministry, the patient is receiving care at a top-level health facility under strict biosafety measures. French health officials said the aim is to prevent further exposure while medical teams treat the infection.
An epidemiological investigation is under way, the ministry said. People found to have had possible contact with the patient will be contacted by health authorities and asked to isolate for 21 days, according to the statement.
Outbreak centered in eastern DR Congo
Al Jazeera reported that the outbreak has been concentrated since May in Ituri province, in northeastern DR Congo. The broadcaster said more than 260 people have died and more than 1,000 have been infected in the country so far.
Cases have also been reported in neighboring Uganda, according to Al Jazeera. The spread across borders has raised international concern because Ebola can cause severe illness and requires tight infection-control measures around patients and contacts.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, Al Jazeera reported. Such a designation is used by the WHO for events that may require a coordinated international response.
Al Jazeera reported that most earlier Ebola outbreaks in DR Congo were caused by the Ebola Zaire virus. The current outbreak, however, involves the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccines or treatments are currently available, according to the report.
French authorities did not announce any additional cases in the statement. The ministry said precautions had been applied from the patient’s arrival in France, and that follow-up of potential contacts would be handled by health officials.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.