On 24/6, French health officials confirmed the patient is a doctor who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a nation currently battling a severe Ebola outbreak. According to AFP, this marks France's first detected Ebola case and one of the few recorded outside Africa, following the disease's spread from Congo to Uganda.

This is the first time France has identified a domestic Ebola infection. Previously, during the 2014 West African outbreak, France admitted two patients transported from abroad for treatment, but both had been diagnosed before their arrival.

The French Ministry of Health reported the patient arrived in Paris on 23/6 via a commercial flight from Kinshasa. Upon entry, the individual presented with minimal symptoms beyond a headache. However, a slight deterioration during the flight led to immediate isolation upon landing. The patient's health is now stable, with a low viral load.

Medical staff moving a patient at the Ebola treatment center of Mongbwalu Central General Hospital, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on 16/6. *Le Monde*

French authorities are urgently tracing close contacts. These individuals are required to self-isolate for 21 days and undergo close medical monitoring.

Air France confirmed the patient traveled on its flight and has provided the passenger list to authorities for epidemiological investigation. An Air France representative stated, "Health agencies are contacting these passengers for necessary procedures."

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's office stated he is monitoring the situation closely. The French Ministry of Health, however, emphasized a low risk of community transmission.

Before France's first recorded infection, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the public not to overreact. "There is no need to panic," he said, noting that fewer than 30 Ebola cases have been recorded outside Africa in over 50 years.

The WHO head also noted that the case in France serves as "a reminder of the risks faced by frontline responders." Nearly 80 healthcare workers have been infected in the current outbreak, underscoring the danger and the importance of enhancing infection prevention and control measures.

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), an international medical humanitarian organization, stated the patient is one of its doctors. ALIMA is investigating the cause of the infection. Typically, humanitarian workers are required to undergo a three-week quarantine period after contact with infected cases.

A healthcare worker caring for an Ebola patient at the Rwampara treatment center in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on 18/6. *AP*

The 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC was announced in mid-May, following several unexplained deaths in Ituri province. To date, over 1,000 people have been recorded as infected, with 267 deaths, a mortality rate of approximately 25%. WHO assesses the public health risk as "very high" for the DRC, "high" for Uganda and neighboring countries, and "low" for the rest of the world.

The Bundibugyo virus strain causing this outbreak currently has no specific vaccine or treatment. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person; it does not spread easily through the air like respiratory viruses. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, typically beginning abruptly with symptoms such as fever, malaise, and muscle pain, before rapidly progressing to vomiting, diarrhea, and liver and kidney failure.

In May, American surgeon Peter Stafford, from the Serge charity, contracted Ebola in the DRC and was transferred by air ambulance to Germany for treatment. He was discharged and made a full recovery after 17 days of intensive medical care. Public health experts assert that the risk of this outbreak spreading globally remains low due to Ebola virus's relatively limited transmissibility compared to other respiratory virus strains.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health assesses the risk of Ebola entry as low, given that the virus only spreads through direct contact. The ministry has issued warnings and proactively prepared response plans. To date, Vietnam has not recorded any Ebola cases.

Binh Minh (According to AFP, Euro News)