Health officials in Texas are monitoring a second patient for Ebola, as they investigate over a dozen individuals who were in contact with the first person diagnosed with the disease in the United States.
“Let me be real frank to the Dallas County residents: The fact that we have one confirmed case, there may be another case that is a close associate with this particular patient,” Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS), said in a morning interview with WFAA-TV. “So this is real. There should be a concern, but it’s contained to the specific family members and close friends at this moment.”
The Dallas County bureau later underscored that there had been no confirmation of a second case, as some media outlets had reported:
Officials have said the man came into contact with 12 to 18 people after returning from Liberia, all of whom are being investigated.
The first case of Ebola was confirmed at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas on Tuesday. The patient had flown from Liberia to Texas on Sept. 19 and sought treatment for symptoms on Sept. 26. Health officials say they have contained the virus to the area and are working closely with the Dallas County school district.
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com