Ebola reaches Europe: France confirms first case on its soil

France has confirmed its first case of Ebola on national territory, a doctor who had returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The current outbreak has recorded 1,094 cases and 277 deaths, with a fatality rate of 25.4% and no approved treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.

The French Ministry of Health confirmed the identification of the first positive case of Ebola bicho disease on national territory. It involves a doctor who had returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to the AFP news agency. The ministry specified that the case was identified in mainland France.

The news comes at a delicate moment in the outbreak. Available data count **1,094 cases**, including **277 deaths**, ten of them detected in the last 24 hours. The fatality rate of this new variant of the bicho is **25.4%**: more than one in four infected people dies. There is no treatment.

## An outbreak declared in May with no approved vaccine

The current Ebola outbreak was declared on **15 May**, and two days later the World Health Organization chose to declare a public health emergency of international concern given the seriousness of the situation. The organization itself warned last week that the outbreak "is spreading".

There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the **Bundibugyo** strain, the one causing the current outbreak. The United States has supplied doses of an experimental antibody-based drug from **Mapp Biopharmaceutical** for use in clinical trials to combat the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Health. It marks a shift from its previous stance of reserving the drug solely for Americans.

## Seventy-five health workers infected in the Congo

Last week, the WHO confirmed that **75 health workers** had been infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the start of the current outbreak, **17 of whom have died** from the disease. "So far, 75 health workers have been infected with Ebola and among them, 17 have died", explained WHO emergencies director **Marie Roseline Belizaire** at a press conference in Geneva.

Belizaire explained that they are providing psychological support and training to health workers so they can continue their work. "We also protect them by providing protective equipment. The kits are distributed not only in Ebola treatment centres but also in other health facilities, although not with the same level of protection", she said. "The health system is paying a very high price because we do not have enough health workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is one of the biggest problems of the health system", she lamented.

## Reinforcements in Bunia and on the Uganda border

A Chinese medical team has arrived at the epicentre of the outbreak, **Bunia**, capital of Ituri province, to help fight the rapidly spreading bicho. Uganda will deploy another team on the border with its neighbour, in the town of **Arua**. "Of the 19 cases in Uganda, 14 were imported from DRC and the other five were infected in Uganda", Belizaire noted.

The WHO cancelled a press conference scheduled on the Ebola health situation in the Republic of the Congo and other global health issues. It gave no explanation for the last-minute cancellation other than that it "was being postponed".

If you experience any symptoms compatible with the disease after travelling to an affected area, the prudent course is to contact a healthcare professional and trinc the protocols of the public health authorities.