The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Tuesday that the first case of Ebola has appeared in the U.S. A man in Dallas, who is not a health care worker, has tested positive for the virus, the agency says. The man flew to the U.S. from Liberia, arriving on Sept. 20, and wasn’t sick on the flight, and had no symptoms when he arrived, according to NPR.
The person sought medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas after developing symptoms consistent with Ebola. Based on the person’s travel history and symptoms, CDC recommended testing for Ebola. The medical facility isolated the patient and sent specimens for testing at CDC and at a Texas lab participating in CDC’s Laboratory Response Network. CDC and the Texas Health Department reported the laboratory test results to the medical center to inform the patient. Local public health officials have begun identifying close contacts of the person for further daily monitoring for 21 days after exposure, according to the CDC. Continue reading
