The French Ministry of Health confirmed on June 25, 2026, a positive case of Ebola virus in a patient who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The patient, a doctor who had been working in the DRC, is being treated in isolation at a hospital in Paris. This is the first case of Ebola detected outside Africa since 2021.
Health authorities are tracing contacts and have implemented strict containment measures. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified and is coordinating with French health officials. The risk to the general public is considered low, as Ebola is not airborne and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids.
The DRC has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks, with the most recent declared over in 2025. The patient had been involved in outbreak response efforts. French officials emphasize that the healthcare system is prepared to handle such cases, with protocols in place since the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic.
