A patient who recently returned from Liberia has been diagnosed with the first case of Ebola in the United States. The head of the Centers for Disease Control, Thomas Frieden announced the news on Monday, one day after the patient’s admission to a Dallas hospital.

Dr. Thomas Frieden: “This individual left Liberia on the 19th of September; arrived in the U.S. on the 20th of September; had no symptoms when departing Liberia or entering this country, but four or five days later, around the 24th of September, began to develop symptoms; on the 26th of September, initially sought care; and Sunday, the 28th of September, was admitted to a hospital in Texas and placed on isolation. We received in our laboratory today specimens from the individual, tested them, and they tested positive for Ebola.”

The CDC says family members and others who made contact with the patient after he fell ill could be placed in isolation to prevent wider infection. Passengers who traveled on the same U.S.-bound plane wouldn’t be at risk, because the virus is only spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a patient showing symptoms. At his news conference, Thomas Frieden said he believes this case will be contained.

Dr. Thomas Frieden: “The bottom line here is that I have no doubt that we will control this importation or this case of Ebola so that it does not spread widely in this country. It is certainly possible that someone who had contact with this individual, a family member or other individual, could develop Ebola in the coming weeks, but there is no doubt in my mind that we will stop it here.”