French authorities have confirmed the country’s first case of Ebola, involving a doctor who recently returned from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a significant outbreak continues to spread.
The patient, whose identity was not released, was immediately isolated in a specialized facility and is in stable condition, according to the French health ministry. Officials said contact tracing is underway to monitor anyone who may have been exposed during the doctor’s travel or upon return to France.
The development marks the first known importation of the current Ebola outbreak into Europe. Democratic Republic of Congo declared an Ebola outbreak last month, though health experts believe the virus had been circulating undetected for several weeks prior.
According to Congolese authorities, more than 260 people have died and roughly 1,000 others have been infected in the central African nation.
This is a breaking news story – more to follow
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