A patient with possible Ebola-like symptoms is being treated at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C., a hospital spokesperson confirmed late Friday morning. The patient had traveled to Nigeria recently.
The medical team is working closely with the Center for Disease Control about the patient, who is listed in stable condition, on whether the patient has the disease.
The ebola outbreak has now spread from western Africa into the U.S., when Thomas Eric Duncan flew into Dallas, Texas from Liberia after making stops in Brussels and Washington DC. Duncan, who contracted the disease through an act of compassion by helping an infected pregnant woman, faces legal action for lying on a series of health forms asking if he had contact with an infected person. The pregnant woman died hours later.
Despite concerns of an American outbreak, the CDC has no plans to amp ebola screenings at U.S. airports, citing the screenings may not always prevent infected individuals from entering the country. Duncan, who remains in isolation, showed no signs of the disease upon arrival. He began feeling sick days later.
Instead, the CDC will continue to advise customs and border control officials about how to spot ebola symptoms in travelers. The agency will also provide informational pamphlets that list symptoms of the disease to people traveling from Ebola-affected regions.
Thus far, over 3,300 people have died from the diseas in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Health experts say there is no risk in the U.S. of a similar outbreak.