Texas Ebola patient Eric Duncan, who is also the first case of Ebola outside Africa, has died Wednesday morning at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, the hospital said. The Texas Ebola patient traveled to the United States from Liberia on Sept. 19 to reunite girlfriend Louise Troh, who is also the mother of his son, Karsiah.
"It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning," said the hospital in a statement.
The 42-year-old Texas Ebola patient died at 7:51 a.m., according to the hospital.
"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," said the statement.
The Texas Ebola patient had apparently been in critical condition since his diagnosis in mid-September, reports CNN.
Duncan was first turned away from hospital, but was admitted two days later when he became more seriously sick. The Texas Ebola patient was taken by an ambulance to Texas Health Presbyterian on Sept. 28, where he had been in isolation since.
Duncan is believed to have contracted the disease while helping his landlord take their pregnant 19-year-old daughter to an Ebola treatment ward in Monrovia. The young woman was convulsing but was turned away from the hospital since it was already overcrowded. She died hours later after being taken home.
While Duncan had gotten ill in the U.S. and became the first Texas Ebola patient outside of Africa, the brother of the pregnant girl showed symptoms the same time as Duncan. However, he died days after while en route to the Monrovia hospital, according to The Guardian.
Duncan's family later released a statement expressing their devastation over the death of the Texas Ebola patient.
"We had high hopes that Thomas would survive this scourge and we were optimistic that...delayed hospital protocols would help Thomas survive," the statement said.
"We are hopeful that remedies here and and in parts of the world will be taken for those who have become inflicted with this horrible disease," they added.
According to the Washington Post, the loss of the Texas Ebola patient is particularly painful since Duncan was turned away when he sought treatment from the hospital the first time.
The way the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital initially handled Duncan has reportedly raised questions over the health facility's preparedness in treating the deadly disease. The issue has prompted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to update guidelines for healthcare facilities around the U.S.
Anyone who had contact with the Texas Ebola patient and Liberian national are now undergoing monitoring for symptoms.
Some members of Duncan's family have also been isolated until Oct. 19, with their temperatures taken twice daily since Ebola usually manifests 21 days after infection. On Friday, they were moved from their Dallas apartment to an undisclosed location in the same city. According to the CDC, as of Tuesday, they family of the Texas Ebola patient had not shown any symptoms.
Five Dallas schoolchildren who possibly had contact with Duncan are forced to remain on the school district's homebound program while waiting if the virus will manifest in 21 days. 38 others who are suspected of coming into contact with the Texas Ebola patient are also currently being monitored, though they considered at much lower risk.
On Wednesday, the district said none have shown symptoms of the virus so far. Only a week has passed since the Texas Ebola patient was hospitalized for treatment.
Apart from monitoring those who have come into contact with Duncan, state and local health officials are also sending out messages aimed at the family:
Per Presby, Mr. Duncan passed away at 7:51 this morning. The City of Dallas offers our deepest condolences to his loved ones.
— Sana Syed (@dallaspiosana) October 8, 2014
Those days have been an "enormous test of our health system," Dr. David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement.
"For one family it has been far more personal. Today they lost a dear member of their family. They have our sincere condolences, and we are keeping them in our thoughts," he continued.
He added that he vows that health care workers will continue being vigilant in the fight against the virus spreading "and protect people from this threat."
The attention of public health officials is now focused on how to handle the body of the Texas Ebola patient.
"When the person has just died, that is when the body is most contagious," said Spokesman Tarik Jasarevic for the World Health Organization.
He said in August, "It's when the virus is overtaking the whole body."
Shortly after the death of the Texas Ebola patient, U.S. airports are starting new measures in screening travelers for the Ebola virus. Measures include taking passengers' temperatures and handing them questionnaires, according to a federal official and a second person briefed on a federal government announcement on Wednesday.
The enhanced methods are mainly focused on people from West African nations with Ebola. Implementation will begin at New York's JFK airport, further expanding to four major international airports - Newark, Chicago, Washington Dulles and Atlanta.
African countries in the so-called Ebola zone include Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.
Spread of the Ebola virus can starts with contact with bodily fluids -- blood, sweat, feces, vomit, semen and saliva -- and only by someone who is showing symptoms, reports the CDC.
According to Dr. Marty Cetron, director of the CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, air travelers are reminded that Ebola is not transmitted through the air.
"There needs to be direct contact frequently with body fluids or blood," he said.
Meanwhile, after the death of the Texas Ebola patient on Wednesday, top British officials held a meeting to discuss how to contain the virus, reports CNN.
UK and the U.S. have decided to deploy defense personnel to the infected countries, with the UK sending in 750 personnel to help establish the Ebola treatment centers.
The Texas Ebola patient is only amongst the thousands killed by what is considered the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. The current strain has reportedly killed more than 3,400 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. According to the World Health Organization, more than 7,400 people have been infected in nations mentioned since March.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
