Paris, June 25: France has identified and isolated five individuals who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus. These individuals traveled on a flight with a doctor whose virus test returned positive.
French Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Wednesday that the doctor had been working in the Democratic Republic of Congo before returning to France.
According to the minister, the patient is an experienced doctor who was unaware of his infection at the time of the flight. He exhibited no symptoms while on the plane, but experienced a headache, prompting him to issue an alert for medical attention upon arrival in Paris.
As soon as the flight landed, he was placed in isolation at a hospital. The minister stated that he would remain there for 21 days, which is the incubation period for the virus.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control estimates that the risk of infection for people living in Europe remains very low.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported 1,118 confirmed cases of Ebola, including 291 deaths. The DRC government provided an update on the current situation regarding the outbreak.
The DRC’s Ministry of Communication and Media shared information on social media platform X, noting that 122 individuals have recovered, while 408 patients are currently under care. As of Tuesday, the mortality rate for the outbreak stood at 26%.
The update indicated that epidemiological monitoring is active, with 138 suspected cases identified and a contact follow-up rate of 77.1%.
The eastern Ituri province remains the epicenter of the outbreak, while the South Kivu province has not reported any new transmissions since May 26. Efforts for surveillance, patient care, and contact tracing continue in the affected areas.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on Wednesday that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa poses a low global threat, despite an increase in cases in the affected regions.
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