Ebola outbreak in DRC reaches 1,155 cases, first European case confirmed in France

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported 1,155 laboratory‑confirmed Ebola cases and 304 deaths, giving a case‑fatality rate of about 26 %. Health authorities say 138 patients have recovered while 318 remain in treatment.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo variant, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment exists. On the same day, France confirmed its first imported case in a humanitarian aid doctor who flew from Kinshasa, prompting European health officials to impose travel bans and a mandatory 21‑day health monitoring period for contacts.

In response, the DRC and neighboring Uganda have launched a 90‑day joint cross‑border intervention plan to bolster laboratory capacity and clinical response in high‑risk border areas. Uganda has reported 20 Ebola cases, including two deaths. The World Health Organization declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May, and the United States has tightened health screenings for travellers from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.