A case of Ebola virus infection has been registered in France for the first time. This was reported by the country's Ministry of Health on June 24.
Until now, the outbreak of the disease had been primarily concentrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; however, the dangerous virus has now been detected in Europe.
According to the agency, the infection was identified in a doctor who recently returned from a humanitarian mission in one of the regions of the DRC, where the virus continues to spread. Upon arrival in France, he was immediately hospitalized in a specialized medical facility. The patient's condition is assessed as stable.
French authorities stated that all necessary safety measures were taken promptly. The patient is in isolation under constant medical supervision, which minimizes the risk of further spread of the infection.
Specialists are currently identifying individuals who may have come into contact with the infected person. All potentially exposed individuals will undergo a 21-day monitoring and quarantine process.
The French Ministry of Health emphasizes that there is currently no threat to the general population. A similar assessment was previously made by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, which stated that the likelihood of the virus spreading within the European Union is extremely low.
In May, the World Health Organization declared an international emergency due to the Ebola outbreak in Africa. The most challenging situation remains in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where new cases of the disease continue to be identified and thousands of contacts of the infected are being monitored.
