Texan Ebola patient had significant public contact before diagnosis

Yesterday we reported on the first confirmed case of Ebola in the United States, and today's news is perhaps even more worrying.

According to Reuters news agency, the patient, said to be Thomas Eric Duncan, is in a critical condition in an isolation ward in the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital and had significant public contact before he was diagnosed, including 18 "close family members", a number of which are school age children from four different schools.

Despite this, Texas Governor Rick Perry has told reporters he is confident that the threat will be contained.

It has also been revealed that the man checked himself into the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital two days before his diagnosis, before being released shortly after, only to report back to the hospital when his symptoms worsened. Witnesses claim the man vomited on the sidewalk near an apartment complex as he entered an ambulance for the return journey.