Ebola Emerges in Dallas

CDC confirms first U.S. case of Ebola at Dallas hospital

The first case of Ebola in a U.S. hospital has emerged, and it's in Dallas. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a critically ill patient had been diagnosed with the virus; the patient, who is in isolation, is an unidentified man at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

The man left Liberia on September 19 and arrived in the United States on September 20 to visit relatives. He fell ill on September 24 and sought medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on September 26.

After developing symptoms consistent with Ebola, he was admitted to the hospital on September 28. Based on the person's travel history and symptoms, CDC recommended testing for Ebola.

The City of Dallas issued a bulletin announcing that it's on "Level 2: High Readiness," and that the Dallas Fire Rescue EMS crew that transported the patient Sunday morning took all safety precautions and has been quarantined according to CDC and Dallas County Health guidelines.

"The city is working closely with Dallas County Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control after the unnamed patient at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas was confirmed to have the virus at 3:32 pm Tuesday afternoon."

CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said at a news conference that a "handful" of people, including family members and a few people in the community, have been exposed to the virus.

Ebola does not spread through the air; it's spread through contact with bodily fluids, such as blood or vomit. The illness has an average eight- to 10-day incubation period, although it can range from two to 21 days.

According to figures from the World Health Association, Ebola has infected 6,553 people and killed 3,083 in three countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

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equality news

Texas ranks as 3rd worst state for women's equality in 2026, per report

Photo by DEAD GOOD LEGACIES on Unsplash

We expect better of Texas.

Texans have many reasons to brag on their state, but one study that annually ranks Texas near the bottom of the pack could use some forward momentum: WalletHub's annual report, "Best & Worst States for Women’s Equality," ranks the state as the third worst for women's equality in 2026.

Texas ranks No. 48 for the second year in a row, which is only one place better than its No. 49 place in 2024. A decade before that, in both 2014 and 2015, Texas ranked No. 47.

WalletHub's 2026 report determined where women receive the most equal treatment in the U.S. by comparing all 50 states using 17 key indicators for women's workplace environment, education and health, and political empowerment. For all metrics, analysts compared the differences between women and men, and certain states were treated as having gender equality in the metrics where women showed an advantage over men.

Only Utah (No. 50) and Oklahoma (No. 49) rank lower than the Lone Star State in 2026.

Hawaii still leads as the No. 1 best state for women's rights nationwide, followed by Maryland (No. 2), Alaska (No. 3), Maine (No. 4), and Vermont (No. 5).

Texas ranked 37th in the report's "workplace environment" category, which compared gender disparities in income, unemployment rates, entrepreneurship rates, job security, economic security, and the share of men versus women in executive positions, among others.

In the "political empowerment" category — which compared the disparity in the share of lawmakers in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, state legislature, and state-elected executives — Texas ranked 39th nationally.

House Republican Leadership Speaks To The Media After Conference Meeting Kay Granger, first Republican woman from Texas to serve in the House, died on August 2, 2026. Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Overall, Texas' worst performance was in the national "education and health" ranking, which examined gender disparities in math test scores, doctor-visit affordability, and advanced educational attainment — meaning the share of the population aged 25 and older with an advanced degree higher than a bachelor's. In this category, Texas ranked 49th.

Here's how the Lone Star State fared in other rankings in the study:

No. 19 – Entrepreneurship rate gap
No. 31 – Work hours gap
No. 34 – Earnings gap
No. 36 – Executive positions gap
No. 39 – Political representation ga

Texas hasn't been ranking particularly well in other recent WalletHub studies that measure various aspects of livability. In 2026, Texas has ranked as the fourth-worst state for women, the ninth-worst state for working mothers, and the seventh-worst state to have a baby. It was also named one of the worst states to live in general.

"Ensuring women’s equality requires more than simply giving men and women the same fundamental rights," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo in a statement. "States also need to work to make sure that women receive equal treatment to men when it comes to financial opportunities, education, and politics. The best states for women’s equality have drastically reduced the disparities between men and women on multiple fronts."

texas wallethub reports women's equality women's rights