France has confirmed its first Ebola case during the current outbreak, after a doctor returning from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive, according to health authorities.

The French Health Ministry said on Wednesday that the infected healthcare worker had been operating in an area where the virus was circulating.

“The patient is being treated at a leading healthcare facility, following strict biosafety protocols,” the ministry said in its statement.

Officials added that all precautionary measures were immediately activated upon the individual’s arrival in France, including isolation and secure transfer to the designated hospital to avoid any risk of contamination.

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An epidemiological investigation is now underway to identify possible contacts. Those identified will be asked by health authorities to self-isolate for 21 days.

Despite public concern, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there is no cause for panic. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, he noted that in the past half-century, fewer than 30 Ebola cases have ever been detected outside Africa.

“That means the risk to the rest of the world is low; whether it’s France or other countries in Europe, they shouldn’t overreact, that’s what I would like to advise,” Tedros told reporters.

He acknowledged, however, that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC’s northeastern Ituri province continues to outpace control efforts.

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“Contact-tracing is inadequate, treatment capacity is insufficient, and safe burials remain a major challenge, with the health system under pressure,” Tedros said. He urged tighter containment and expanded response measures against the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Africa CDC Director Jean Kaseya warned that the situation in the DRC could develop into the worst Ebola outbreak on record.

He described significant hurdles facing teams on the ground, including security risks, limited funding, and displaced populations. “We’re in a region where around one million people live in camps as internally displaced people, and these people don’t have access to even basic services. To access these camps is a major challenge,” he said.

Kaseya added that if the crisis is not contained swiftly and effectively, “it could cost billions of dollars.”

Reporting from Bunia, Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi said that health workers in the region have noted progress despite severe humanitarian and security constraints.

“They are seeing more communities coming to treatment centres, they are seeing less deaths, and people are beginning to understand that this is a very difficult situation and they need to get help,” Soi said.

Still, she reported that local insecurity remains a pressing issue, with some health workers facing threats, assaults, and infections while working in high-risk zones.

According to health ministry data from the DRC, Ebola has killed 277 people and infected more than a thousand since the outbreak began in May. Neighbouring Uganda has also reported cases.

On May 17, the WHO classified the situation as a “public health emergency of international concern” due to the virus’s spread and the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain.

Previous outbreaks in the DRC were linked to the Ebola Zaire species, for which vaccines exist. In this outbreak, however, health agencies are still trying to close that gap.

UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said they are seeking information from labs and manufacturers on planned vaccine development for the Bundibugyo strain.

Gavi has pledged up to $40 million to speed up testing, manufacturing, and distribution once an effective vaccine candidate becomes available.

Efforts continue across the region to strengthen containment, improve surveillance, and expand access to care as international health agencies mobilize resources to stop the spread.

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