Thomas Eric Duncan, the first person to have been diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died early on Wednesday morning at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, located in Dallas.
Duncan, 42, was a Liberian man who had traveled to the United States. He went to the Dallas hospital on September 20, as soon as he arrived in the U.S., but was simply given antibiotics and sent home as the doctors did not perceive that he had the Ebola virus. However, as he continued showing symptoms including vomiting and severe diarrhea, he was readmitted on September 28 in an isolated care unit. He had been given an experimental drug, called brincidofovir, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and received constant support and care.
“The past week had been an enormous test of our health system, but for one family it has been far more personal,” said Dr. David Lakey, the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services. “Today they lost a dear member of their family. They have our sincere condolences, and we are keeping them in our thoughts.”
“The doctors, nurses, and staff at Presbyterian provided excellent and compassionate care, but Ebola is a disease that attacks the body in many ways,” he continued in his statement. “We’ll continue every effort to contain the spread of the virus and protect people from this threat.”
Once it had been confirmed that Duncan was diagnosed with Ebola, his apartment was decontaminated, and his family was quarantined in a different location. All of Duncan’s belongings had been sanitized by a hazardous materials crew.
Though these were part of the utmost safety precautions that health care officials had to make, for Duncan’s family, the entire ordeal had been difficult, as this had been their first reunion after having been separated. Duncan’s son, Eric, who is now 19, had not seen his father since he was 3 years old, but only was able to talk to him through a video conference.
Meanwhile, anxiety about the virus is steadily climbing, as cases of patients with Ebola have been sprouting in Europe. There have been eight cases of Ebola in Europe thus far, in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain. Two have recovered, two have died, and the four others are currently receiving treatment.
The U.S. has announced that it will start taking temperatures of travelers who are arriving at U.S. airports from West African countries in which the Ebola outbreak had been most severe. The screenings will begin this weekend or next week at five airports, including Kennedy International, Washington Dulles International, O’Hare International, Hartsfield-Jackson International, and Newark Liberty International airports.
