First case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S

The first case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S. has occurred at a Texas hospital, federal health officials confirmed Tuesday. Though specific details about the patient were kept confidential because of medical privacy laws, officials confirmed that he was critically ill, had traveled from Liberia and was visiting his family. They would not confirm whether he – how the patient was referred to in the call at times – was an American.Although Americans have been infected in Africa by the virus before during the current outbreak, and have been brought back to the U.S. for treatment, this is the first time the disease has been diagnosed on domestic soil, or even outside of Africa, where more than 3,000 people have died.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continually maintained that Ebola is unlikely to spread in the U.S. because public health systems are much stronger than they are in West Africa, where nations are overwhelmed by the virus' spread and force. At this time there is no known cure or vaccine for Ebola, and fear has spread across the world as citizens watched soaring rates of the disease in West Africa. Three thousand people have died, and the World Health Organization expects the numbers to continue to grow.

Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC, says there is “no doubt” health officials will control this case of Ebola so it doesn't spread widely in the U.S. Because people travel on their own, however, the country must continue to be on its guard as long as Ebola is spreading in West Africa, he says.
The patient, who has not been identified but is at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, is being kept in isolation – the standard procedure to keep the virus from spreading, officials said during a press call Tuesday with the CDC, Dallas and Texas state health officials and officials from the hospital.Frieden says there is no reason to think anyone who was on the flight with him is at risk, though he confirmed it was possible one of the patients' family members had been infected.

“We very much are concerned about the status of the patient and very much hope for his recovery,” Frieden says.

The patient left Liberia Sept. 19 and arrived in the U.S. the following day. Officials confirmed that when he boarded and exited the plane he had no symptoms. Sept. 24 he began to have symptoms, and went to seek treatment Sept. 26. On Sept. 28 he was admitted to the hospital.