France has confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola after a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for the virus.
The French health ministry announced on Wednesday that the case was detected in mainland France, marking the first Ebola infection identified on French territory.
The infected doctor was isolated immediately upon arrival in the country, even before the disease was officially confirmed, authorities said.
The case is also the first reported outside Africa since the latest Ebola outbreak began in the Democratic Republic of Congo and spread to Uganda.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation, according to his office.
The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was declared on May 15 after a number of unexplained deaths were recorded in Ituri Province.
Health officials said the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
Despite the development, public health experts say the risk of the virus spreading globally remains low because Ebola is not easily transmitted compared to many other infectious diseases.
