The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Texas Health Department confirmed Tuesday, through lab tests, the first Ebola case diagnosed in the U.S. is at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
The patient, who arrived in the U.S. Sept. 20 from West Africa, did not show Ebola symptoms — and therefore was not contagious, as Ebola does not spread until a person is symptomatic — when he flew to the United States. He developed symptoms about five days after his arrival.
The patient sought care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and clinicians there sent specimens to the CDC and a Texas lab for tests after considering the patient's travel history and symptoms.
"While it is not impossible that there could be additional cases associated with this patient in the coming weeks, I have no doubt that we will contain this," Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, director of the CDC, said. "The United States has a strong healthcare system and public health professionals who will make sure this case does not threaten our communities."
Since the patient did not exhibit Ebola symptoms during his travels on a commercial airline, the CDC does not recommend anyone on the unnamed flight to be tested. However, the CDC and Texas health officials are taking precautions to identify people who may have had close personal contact with the patient.
There are currently two other patients with Ebola being treated in the U.S., who were flown in from West Africa for treatment. One is at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, and the other — who is a potential Ebola patient — is at NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.
In preparation for a possible Ebola patient, in August, the CDC issued infection control measures for hospitals treating Ebola patients.