US may deploy 4,000 troops for Ebola control in Liberia; 10 people at 'high risk' of Ebola in Dallas

, Oct 4: The Pentagon said on Friday that it may send 4,000 troops to

as part of a comprehensive assistance plan against the deadly

outbreak, but stressed that the actual number may change.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has approved 4,000 troops for potential deployment to Liberia, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told a press conference. "But I want to make one thing real clear, that that's a potential deployment. That doesn't mean it is going to get to that number," Xinhua quoted Kirby as saying.

The number, almost 1,000 above what President Barack Obama had previously committed, came at a time when the first person was diagnosed with Ebola in the US earlier this week, putting health authorities on high alert.

Currently, there are just 205 US military personnel in Liberia and another 26 in neighbouring Senegal, the Pentagon said.

Two Ebola testing laboratories manned by personnel from the US Naval Medical Research Centre are now fully operational, with a capacity of processing about 100 samples a day, Kirby said.

"Construction of two treatment centres for other Ebola victims will begin today and should be completed by the end of the month," the official added.

Kirby forecast a significant increase in the operations tempo in Liberia and with it an increase in troops.

The US Army said it had committed about 3,200 forces, who would provide medical and logistic support, as well as site security, in Ebola-hit regions.

Troops going to the regions will be monitored by medical experts for Ebola-prevention and health protection before, during and after deployment, Kirby said.

The World Health Organisation said Friday that the world's worst Ebola outbreak on record has now killed 3,439 people.

Texas identifies 10 people at 'high risk' for Ebola in Dallas

HOUSTON: US health officials were monitoring 50 people for Ebola exposure, 10 of whom are at "high risk" of the disease after close contact with the first diagnosed American patient.

United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 10 people who had contact with Thomas Eric Duncan, America's first diagnosed case of Ebola.

CDC made contact with about 100 people that had possible contact with Duncan, and narrowed to 50 the list of people it needs to monitor daily.

The agency will continue to monitor all 50 of them for the full 21-day incubation period of the virus and see if they develop symptoms such as fever, aches, vomiting or diarrhoea.

The CDC said none of the people under observation are currently sick.

Late on Friday, four family members related to the Dallas Ebola patient were removed from their apartment, according to City of Dallas spokesperson Sana Syed.

Cleanup effort is still ongoing. The family members are asymptomatic. Daily monitoring includes a temperature reading twice a day.

IANS/ PTI