The first case of Ebola has been reported in France, the country’s health ministry has said, in a doctor who had returned from a humanitarian mission to an area affected by the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The French Health Ministry confirmed the case on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and said the patient has been placed in isolation. Officials added that the risk to the general public remains low.
The Ebola outbreak in Congo has infected more than 1,000 people and caused 267 deaths so far.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this outbreak has recorded the highest number of confirmed Ebola cases within the first month of any Ebola outbreak.
#Communiqué | Ebola : identification d’un 1er cas chez un médecin humanitaire de retour de mission en République démocratique du Congo (RDC)
Le ministère de la Santé, des Familles, de l’Autonomie et des Personnes handicapées confirme ce jour l’identification d’un premier cas… pic.twitter.com/OL3ILA0MCp
— Ministère de la Santé (@Sante_Gouv) June 24, 2026
The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no WHO-approved vaccines or treatments.
Health authorities are testing four potential vaccine candidates, but clinical trials have not yet begun.
Last month, Germany and the Czech Republic admitted two doctors infected with Ebola for medical treatment.
Ebola can be highly deadly, with mortality rates reaching up to 90 percent in some cases. The virus can also reappear months or even years after a patient has recovered.
Common symptoms include persistent high fever, body and joint pain, nausea, diarrhea, dehydration, skin rash, and in some cases, bleeding.
