Ebola, a vicious disease which has caused over 3,000 deaths has its first confirmed case within the United States, in Dallas, Texas.
ABC News has more:
The first Ebola case has been diagnosed in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today.
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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.
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According to the Associated Press, a patient arrived at the Dallas hospital on Monday with possible Ebola symptoms and recent travel history to West Africa. The patient was being kept in isolation until the CDC could confirm the diagnosis.
According to the World Health Organization, the average fatality rate for someone who contracts the disease is 50%. In addition, a current vaccine does not exist for Ebola, but two are being in the process of being tested.
Here’s how social media users reacted to the news:
Some opted for the fight option.
Fortunately, infectious disease experts don’t believe that Ebola will travel very far in the U.S. However, as it is not known if the patient exposed others, this case is being treated with the utmost seriousness and caution.
Centers for Disease Control director Thomas Friedan stated, according to ABC News:
“I have no doubt that we will control this case of Ebola, so that it does not spread widely in this country,” Frieden said Tuesday. “It is certainly possible that someone who has contact with this patient could develop Ebola. But there is no doubt in my mind that we will stop it here.”
We can only hope that this is the only case the United States ever sees and the patient exposed is able to recover.
Source: IJR Review
