Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak reaches Europe as France confirms first case, DRC passes 1,400 cases
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached Europe: France confirmed its first case on June 24 in a healthcare worker returning from an aid mission. The DRC has now recorded 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths from the Bundibugyo strain, per WHO figure
The Ebola outbreak spreading through the Democratic Republic of the Congo has now reached Europe. On June 24, France confirmed its first imported case, a healthcare worker who fell ill after returning from a humanitarian mission in the DRC. The case was contained on arrival, but it underscores how quickly a regional outbreak can cross borders through the very medical staff sent to fight it. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a less common member of the Ebola family than the Zaire strain behind most past epidemics. According to the World Health Organization, the DRC had recorded 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths as of June 30, with 609 patients still hospitalized in isolation. Ituri province remains the hardest hit. Neighboring Uganda, which recorded 19 cases linked to the same chain of transmission, has reported no new infections since June 5. WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in May, its highest level of alert. Health officials say part of the recent rise in case numbers reflects expanded testing capacity, which cleared a backlog of previously collected samples rather than only new infections.