Washington, Oct 7 (IANS) The US state of Texas Monday created a special task force to handle infectious diseases such as Ebola, six days after a Dallas hospital confirmed the first case of Ebola in the country.

Texas Governor Rick Perry unveiled the 17-member task force at a news conference Monday, Xinhua reported.

Brett Giroir, chief executive officer of the Bryan-based Texas A&M Health Science Center, will lead the team of epidemiology and infectious disease researchers which will make recommendations for dealing with a pandemic such as Ebola, Perry said in the statement.

"This task force will develop a comprehensive plan to ensure Texas deals effectively with any potential outbreak," he said.

His move came on the heels of the first confirmed case of Ebola diagnosed in the US.

Thomas Eric Duncan, who traveled to the US from Liberia Sep 20, was hospitalised with the illness just over a week ago after being rushed to a hospital in Dallas.