French health officials said a doctor who recently returned from a humanitarian mission in an Ebola transmission zone in Congo has tested positive and is being treated in isolation at a specialized facility.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
French health officials confirmed Wednesday that a doctor who recently returned from Congo has tested positive for Ebola virus and is receiving care at a specialized medical facility in France.
The French Ministry of Health said the patient, whose identity has not been released, had been working on a humanitarian mission in one of Congo’s Ebola transmission zones before returning to France. The ministry said the doctor is in stable condition.
Authorities said precautionary measures were put in place immediately after the patient arrived in France, including isolation to prevent potential spread of the virus. The transfer to the hospital was conducted under secure conditions, the ministry said.
The case comes as Congo is facing a major Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus. The Congolese health ministry said Wednesday that 1,094 cases have been confirmed, including 277 confirmed deaths.
The outbreak, declared May 15, has become the worst ever in terms of case numbers during its first month. Officials have said the actual number of infections could be higher because additional cases may remain undetected. They also warned that the peak of the outbreak may not yet have arrived.
The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, adding to concerns over the scale of the outbreak and the risk of additional spread.
French authorities said they have begun tracing possible contacts of the infected doctor.
“An in-depth epidemiological investigation is underway to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient,” the ministry said.
The ministry said a regional health agency will monitor identified contacts during a 21-day home isolation period.
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