Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian man who had been diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas, Texas, died on Wednesday. He was 42.
Duncan was the first person to have been diagnosed with the virus in the United States. He had been receiving the experimental drug Brincidofovir since Saturday. Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, where he was being treated, said Tuesday afternoon that Duncan was on a ventilator and had been receiving dialysis. The hospital told HuffPost that Duncan died on Wednesday at 7:51 a.m.
Before Duncan died, his symptoms appeared to be improving. His condition was downgraded four days ago from serious to critical.
“It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51 am,” a hospital spokesperson said. “Mr. Duncan succumbed to an insidious disease, Ebola. He fought courageously in this battle. Our professionals, the doctors and nurses in the unit, as well as the entire Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas community, are also grieving his passing. We have offered the family our support and condolences at this difficult time.”
Duncan was visiting family in Texas when his symptoms appeared in late September. Earlier in the month, he had assisted a woman in Liberia who later died of Ebola. Duncan and others had helped bring Marthalene Williams, 19, to the hospital. She later died.
The Texas hospital has been sharply criticized for failing to recognize Duncan’s symptoms. He first arrived at the emergency room on Sept. 25, but he was sent home. His illness worsened and he was taken back to the hospital in an ambulance days later.
Duncan’s family had visited him on Monday and was disturbed by his condition.
“What we saw was very painful. It didn’t look good,” said Josephus Weeks, his nephew.
Source: Huffingtonpost