The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has called on EU member-states to strengthen their outbreak preparedness after Europe’s first imported case of Ebola in the current epidemic was confirmed this week.
The warning comes after a doctor returning to France from the Democratic Republic of the Congo tested positive for the virus.
ECDC officials commended the swift response by French authorities and emphasized that the risk of sustained transmission within Europe remains “very low,” provided early detection and isolation protocols are maintained.
To assist national healthcare systems, the agency has released a practical checklist to streamline emergency response procedures.
Officials reiterated that Ebola spreads only through direct contact with infected blood or bodily fluids, not through the air. Healthcare workers in affected regions remain at the highest risk.
