On Wednesday, Thomas Eric Duncan's death marked the first time a person has died of the deadly Ebola virus in the US. Buzzfeed said Duncan passed away at 7:51AM, according to the announcement of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital , where he was confined. He was 42 years old.
Duncan was diagnosed with Ebola on September 30. It has been believed that the Liberian contracted the virus when he went on a trip to his home country. Duncan returned on September 28, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
A government source had leaked a copy of Duncan's exit paperwork, wherein the patient had clearly lied about being in contact with people who have died of Ebola. According to Duncan's neighbors in Liberia, helped in the transport of a pregnant 19 year-old woman to the hospital. He also aided in the transport of the same woman when she refused to get admitted. Local newspaper FrontPage Africa said the woman died three days before Duncan left the country for the US, which was on December 19.
In a news conference held on Thursday in Monrovia, Liberia Airport Authority Board Chairman Binyah Kesselly said, "False declaration is an offense here in Liberia; this man lied about his activities in a questionnaire screening form we have at the airport, so he must face prosecution."
Health workers who have initially treated Duncan were caught unaware of his actual condition, which means that there is a threat for the virus to spread. Citing the Journal of Patient Safety, Betsy McCaughey for Fox News wrote, "Medical mistakes such as missed diagnoses, medication errors, and infections caused by lax hospital procedures lead to an astounding 400,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Lack of rigor is to blame."
Does this mean that a virus outbreak would be declared in the US shortly? USA Today cited CDC experts who insist that it is impossible for an outbreak in the US to happen. The site said that this is because the country has a quality medical environment, the nation's trust in authorities in keeping virus outbreaks from happening, and lacks rituals or traditions that involve physical contact with the dead.
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