Washington, Oct 15 (IANS): A US health worker who treated an Ebola victim at a Texas hospital has tested positive for the virus, becoming the second person to contract the disease within the US, the Texas health department reported Wednesday.

The hospital employee, whose identity has not been revealed, reported having a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated at the Dallas Presbyterian Hospital, Efe news agency reported citing a statement issued by the department.

The health worker contracted the virus while taking care of Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan, who died from the disease last Wednesday at the same hospital, where he also infected nurse Nina Pham.

Health officials have been interviewing the affected caregiver to identify all the people who might have been exposed to the virus in order to put them under observation.

Nurse Pham, the first person to contract Ebola in the US, is also in quarantine at the Dallas Presbyterian, where she was reported in good condition Tuesday.