Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient diagnosed outside of Africa, dies at the Dallas hospital where he was being treated
Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient to be diagnosed with Ebola outside Africa since the current outbreak began, died on Wednesday, the hospital treating him in Texas announced.
“It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning,” the Texas Health Presbyterian hospital said in a statement.
Duncan died at 7.51am, the hospital 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,” the statement said.
Duncan became the first patient to be diagnosed with the disease since the start of the outbreak, which has killed more than 3,400 people in west Africa, including in his native Liberia.
David Lakey, commissioner of the Texas department of state health services, expressed condolences for Duncan’s family. “The past week has been an enormous test of our health system, but 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.
“The doctors, nurses and staff at Presbyterian provided excellent and compassionate care, but Ebola is a disease that attacks the body in many ways. We’ll continue every effort to contain the spread of the virus and protect people from this threat.”
Duncan traveled from Liberia to the US on 19 September to reunite with his girlfriend, Louise Troh, the mother of his son. After falling ill, Duncan was first turned away from hospital, before being admitted two days later when he became more seriously sick.
He was brought by ambulance to Texas Health Presbyterian on 28 September, where he was admitted and placed in isolation. Troh and three members of her family were placed under quarantine, where they must remain until 19 October. They were moved from their Dallas apartment on Friday to an undisclosed location in the city.
Duncan’s Ebola diagnosis was confirmed last Tuesday and his condition worsened over the weekend. His liver function declined, he was placed on dialysis and was breathing through a respirato. The hospital had begun treating Duncan with the experimental antiviral drug brincidofovir.
His girlfriend and her family are under quarantine at an undisclosed location, after being moved from their apartment on Friday.