Texas governor calls for travel ban to fight Ebola

Governor Rick Perry of the U.S. state of Texas on Friday joined a chorus of Republicans calling for the federal government to ban travel from nations hardest hit by Ebola.

Perry, who cut short a trip in Europe, held a press conference in Austin to inform Texas residents of his government's efforts in handling Ebola.

Perry said a special task force established earlier this month has determined that Texas should provide more training to health care workers, designate two hospitals as specialized Ebola treatment centers and give state health officials power to restrict the movement of those suspected of being infected.

Texas has been the epicenter of Ebola in the United States since a Liberian visitor was diagnosed to be the first Ebola patient on U.S. soil on Sept. 30. The patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, died on Oct. 8.

Several days later, two nurses who cared for him tested positive for the deadly virus, one of whom even took a flight after displaying symptoms, sending alarms to the whole country.

Perry on Friday joined the criticism against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal agency in charge of public health.

"We must admit along the way we have seen ample opportunity for improvement from the CDC all the way to the hospital," Perry said.

Perry, a potential aspirant for the 2016 presidential run, urged President Barack Obama to impose travel restrictions on West African countries hit by Ebola.

Obama has resisted a travel ban, saying it would hinder the ability of aid workers to get to places where they are desperately needed and would be ineffective because of non-direct flights.

Perry argued on Friday that any ban should exempt aid workers and would be effective. "Air travel is in fact how this disease crosses borders, and it's certainly how it got to Texas in the first place," the governor said.

Obama appointed an Ebola response coordinator on Friday amid public calls for a czar to lead the nation's efforts to fight the disease.

The Ebola response coordinator, Ron Klain, who is best known for serving as chief of staff to both Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice President Al Gore, will report directly to Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco and National Security Advisor Susan Rice.