CDC confirms first Ebola case in US

The patient who arrived from Liberia, West Africa on 20 September sought for medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas on 24 of the same month.

According to the hospital, the patient developed symptoms that were consistent with Ebola and was admitted on 28 September.

CDC director Dr Tom Frieden said Ebola can be scary but there’s all the difference in the world between the US and parts of Africa where Ebola is spreading.

"The United States has a strong health care system and public health professionals who will make sure this case does not threaten our communities," Frieden said.

"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."

Ebola virus has killed more than 3,000 people across West Africa and infected a handful of Americans who have travelled to that region, while the disease is contagious only if the person is experiencing active symptoms, such as fever, diarrhea and vomiting.

Currently, CDC and public health officials are taking precautions to identify people who have had close personal contact with the ill person, while health care professionals have been reminded to use meticulous infection control at all times.