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The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said the global risk from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains low, despite the confirmation of a case in France.
Speaking on Wednesday, Tedros urged countries not to overreact, stressing that there is “no need for panic” and that the risk to the rest of the world remains low.
However, the WHO chief noted that the case highlights the dangers faced by healthcare workers responding to the outbreak.
“Almost 80 health workers have been infected, highlighting the risks they face and the importance of strengthening infection prevention and control,” he said.
France earlier on Wednesday confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the current outbreak.
The patient, a doctor working with the medical NGO ALIMA, had travelled from Kinshasa to Paris on a commercial flight.
According to French health authorities, the doctor showed only mild symptoms before travelling and was isolated immediately after landing when their condition worsened slightly during the flight.
Officials said the patient is in stable condition and has a very low viral load.
The current outbreak, the DRC’s 17th, was declared on May 15 after several unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri Province.
According to official figures, more than 1,000 cases and 267 deaths have been recorded so far.
The WHO currently rates the public health risk as “very high” within the DRC, “high” in neighbouring countries, and “low” for the rest of the world.
Tedros urged countries to support healthcare workers responding to the outbreak and reminded the public that Ebola cases detected outside Africa remain extremely rare.
