The United States has its first confirmed case of the Ebola virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, marking the first domestic appearance of the deadly virus that has ravaged swaths of continental Africa.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas officials said in a statement earlier Monday that an unnamed patient was being tested for Ebola and had been placed in “strict isolation” due to the patient’s symptoms and recent travel history.
The CDC will host a press conference at its Atlanta headquarters at 5:30 p.m., ET.
At least 3,091 people have died from Ebola since the West African outbreak was first identified in Guinea six months ago. Last week, the CDC warned that between 550,000 and 1.4 million people in West Africa could be infected with Ebola by January 2015.
News of the virus’ appearance sent the share prices of key biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies skyrocketing in after-hours trading, in anticipation that large drug companies may benefit from creating a vaccine. BioCryst Pharma shot up 15 percent in after-market trading, while Tekmira soared by nearly 17 percent.
The appearance of the virus in the U.S. on the last day of September coincides with an earlier study, which predicted a 1 in 5 chance that Ebola would reach the country by the end of the month.
Check back for updates as more information is made available.