France confirmed on Friday its first three cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, with two patients being hospitalised in Paris and the other in the southwestern city of Bordeaux.
Health Minister Agnes Buzyn told a news conference authorities had confirmed two cases, Europe's first, and that more cases were likely to occur in France.
In a separate statement on Friday, the health ministry announced the third case, a relative of one of the first two.
Earlier, the charity SOS Medecins said it had treated one of the cases, a patient of Chinese origin who was showing symptoms of a fever and who said he had been in contact with people from Wuhan in China, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.
Buzyn said the patient was 48 years old and had returned two days ago from a trip to China which included a stop in Wuhan.
"He's been put in an isolated room so as to avoid any contact with the outside world. He's fine", she said.
Most of the cases and all of the deaths so far have been in China, where officials have imposed severe restrictions on travel and public gatherings.