PARIS — French health authorities on Wednesday confirmed the country’s first Ebola case, linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a doctor who had returned from a humanitarian mission there.
The French Health Ministry said the patient, who worked in an affected area of the DRC, tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease. The individual was immediately isolated in a specialized facility and is in stable condition, officials said.
This marks the first confirmed case of the current outbreak detected outside Africa. The patient had returned from the DRC, where the outbreak was declared in May 2026 in Ituri Province and has since spread to other areas, according to the World Health Organization.
Health officials launched contact tracing efforts, placing close contacts under 21-day home isolation. Authorities stressed there is no evidence of local transmission in France and that the risk to the broader public remains very low.
The DRC outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is the 17th recorded in the country. As of late June, it has resulted in more than 1,000 confirmed cases and hundreds of deaths, making it one of the largest on record. The virus has also spread to Uganda through cross-border travel.
The French case comes as the World Health Organization has designated the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Existing vaccines and treatments developed for the more common Zaire strain are less effective against Bundibugyo, complicating response efforts.
“ All precautionary measures, including the patient’s isolation, were taken upon his arrival in the country,” the French Health Ministry said in a statement.
International partners, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Doctors Without Borders, continue to support response efforts in the DRC and Uganda, focusing on surveillance, isolation, and community engagement amid challenges posed by conflict and insecurity in the region.
No further details on the patient’s identity or specific travel timeline were immediately released. French authorities said monitoring and preventive measures would continue. The situation in the DRC remains fluid, with health officials working to contain further spread.
