DHAKA: One air traveller in the United States is not taking any chances amid heightened concerns that the deadly Ebola outbreak could spread in the country.

The woman at Dulles International Airport outside Washington DC was dressed in a hazmat suit, complete with a full body gown, mask and gloves.

A traveller nearby snapped a photograph of the woman and sent it to The Daily Caller.

What started as a problem in faraway west Africa has jumped across geographical bounderies to a Dallas hospital where one man died and two nurses were infected.

Suddenly, Ebola has taken on a different kind of leap - a psychological one - as concerns spiked in the US about how the threat of the virus might interfere with commerce, health and even daily routines.

As authorities disclosed that an infected nurse had taken a flight from Cleveland to Dallas one day before showing symptoms, Ebola moved closer to becoming the next great American panic - an anthrax or Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) for the social media age, said Washington Post.

Across the country, workers and travellers took symbolic safety steps, wearing sanitary masks or lathering with hand sanitiser.

Airline stocks fell as investors bet on a slowdown in travel due to Ebola concerns, according to the newspaper, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1610 HRS, OCT 16, 2014