Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has turned up for the first time in the United States, health officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the patient presented at Community Hospital on April 28 in Munster, Indiana. The patient had traveled to Saudi Arabia on Apr. 24, 2014, then again from London to Chicago, all by plane.

The CDC says the patient, who is a health care worker, then traveled from Chicago to Indiana by bus. The patient began to feel ill on Apr. 27th, reporting symptoms such as shortness of breath, fever and coughing. He visited an emergency room on Apr. 28th.

CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. has assured the public that the CDC has been actively anticipating the emergence of MERS in the U.S., and that prompt action is being taken to protect future infections.

“We’re doing everything possible with hospital, local, and state health officials to find people who may have had contact with this person so they can be evaluated as appropriate,” Frieden said in a statement.

“It is understandable that some may be concerned about this situation, but this first U.S. case of MERS-CoV infection represents a very low risk to the general public,” explained Dr. Anne Schuchat, assistant surgeon general and director of CDC’s National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases.  

The virus is relatively new to humans, and was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Since then, over 400 cases of MERS have been reported, with over 100 deaths as a result of the virus.

As of late, there is no cure, specific treatment or vaccination for MERS.

Health officials are unsure how the virus spreads. While it has been shown to spread in hospital settings, no evidence currently exists showing sustained spread of the virus in community settings.