The first Ebola case has been diagnosed in the United States, but a top health official said today there is "no doubt... we will stop it here."
Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the patient left Liberia on Sept 19 and arrived in the U.S. on Sept. 20. The patient sought medical help on Sept. 27 and was put in isolation on Sept. 28, Frieden said.
Tests confirming the Ebola diagnosis came back today. The White House said President Obama was briefed about the patient by Frieden.
Frieden stressed that the patient was not sick on departure from Liberia or upon arrival in the U.S. and the disease can only be contracted by someone exhibiting symptoms of the disease.
Frieden said he was confident there would not be an Ebola outbreak in the U.S.
"There is no doubt in my mind we will stop it here," he said.
He later added that Ebola is a "scary disease," but vowed, "We are stopping it in its tracks in this country."
Although American Ebola patients have been treated in the United States prior to this diagnosis, they all contracted Ebola in West Africa. Ebola has killed 2,917 people and infected 3,346 others since the outbreak began in March.
Frieden declined to identify the patient other than to say, "The individual was here to visit family who live in this country." Frieden later indicated the patient was male when he modified the comment to say, "He was visiting family members and staying with family members who live in this country."
Health officials are tracking down the patient's close contacts to determine whether they contracted the virus, Frieden said.
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