France reports first Ebola case as Uganda records new infection

Healthcare workers disinfect a stretcher after transporting a patient suffering from the Ebola virus disease from an ambulance at the Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, Ituri, in the east of the DRC on June 23, 2026. [AFP]

France has confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as Uganda also reported a new infection, underscoring growing concerns over the spread of the deadly virus beyond the outbreak's epicentre.

French health authorities announced on Wednesday that a doctor who had recently returned from a humanitarian mission in Congo tested positive for Ebola, marking the country's first case associated with the current outbreak.

The French Health Ministry said it had identified "a first positive case of Ebola virus disease on national territory" and later clarified that the infection was detected in mainland France.

The patient has since been placed in isolation while health officials conduct contact tracing to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.

Despite the development, authorities sought to reassure the public, maintaining that the risk of wider transmission remains low.

"Contact tracing efforts are underway, and the likelihood of Ebola spreading among the general population in Europe is limited," the ministry said.

The imported case comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo battles one of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks in recent history.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak has infected more than 1,000 people and killed at least 267 others.

The health agency has warned that the current outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented pace.

"This is the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of an Ebola disease outbreak in Africa. It took 78 days to reach 250 deaths during the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak. In the previous outbreak in 2018-2019, it took 130 days, but for this outbreak it only took 37 days," the WHO said.

Meanwhile, Uganda's 16-day streak without a new confirmed Ebola case came to an end after health authorities announced a fresh infection, raising the country's cumulative caseload to 20 cases in the current outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain.

The Ministry of Health said the new case signals ongoing transmission risks despite recent progress in controlling the outbreak.

Of the 20 confirmed cases recorded in Uganda, 15 have been linked to importation from neighbouring Congo, while five infections were acquired locally.

Health officials reported that 15 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, while three remain under treatment. Two people have died since the outbreak began.

The latest case has prompted Ugandan authorities to intensify surveillance, contact tracing and response measures, particularly in border regions where frequent movement of people between the two countries continues to pose a challenge.

The resurgence highlights the difficulties of completely interrupting Ebola transmission, even after more than two weeks without a newly reported infection.

Combined data from the two countries show the outbreak 1,114 confirmed cases. The Democratic Republic of Congo accounts for 1094 infections, including 277 deaths, while Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases and two fatalities.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. Symptoms include fever, severe weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

Public health experts continue to stress that rapid detection, isolation of patients, contact tracing and community engagement remain the most effective tools for containing the outbreak and preventing further international spread.