Thread: First Ebola death in the U.S.: Thomas Eric Duncan dies at Dallas hospital

Thomas Eric Duncan died this morning at 07:51AM (CDT) of the deadly Ebola virus, as reported by CNBC News. He had been in critical condition since contracting the virus on a trip to Sierra Leone.

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital staff is grieving the death of Duncan, who has been getting worse as time progressed. He had just returned from a trip to Africa and was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of Ebola. Though he was discharged from Texas Presbyterian, after exhibiting signs of Ebola, he returned to the hospital 4 days later. Hospital officials express their grief and extend condolences to Duncan's surviving family members.

The U.S. has been on high alert since news of the spread of the deadly virus has hit the mainstream. Though Duncan had been given experimental drugs in an effort to kill the virus, he succumbed, with a chronically compromised immune system (due to Ebola).

Though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) denies the seriousness of the spread of Ebola in this country, the threat clearly exists. Reports of Ebola patients have turned up in several parts of the U.S. and hospitals are on alert to watch patients for symptoms. Thomas Frieden, head of the CDC assured the American people that the virus is contained and that there is no reason for panic. Further, he guaranteed that the virus would not infect the populous. Other officials are speaking out, saying that the CDC is down playing the spread of this virus and that more of the American people are at risk than they are willing to admit.

Stories of Ebola patients are surfacing all over the globe, and the hope that the virus can be 'contained' is waning. Duncan's family and those who came in contact with him (who are known) are finally being monitored. They are in the critical stage of the 21-day incubation period of the virus. Several people came in contact with Duncan, including: family members, friends, fellow travelers (from Africa), airport goers, and those who came in contact with him during the 4 days after he was discharged from Texas Presbyterian Hospital.

First Ebola death in the U.S.: Thomas Eric Duncan dies at Dallas hospital - Denver Top News | Examiner.com

This is quite awful, at least as awful as those many Ebola victims in Africa.

But y'know, "uncontrollable virus"- Bird Flu anyone, AIDS? The end of the world is not nigh. The most terribly bad contagion the world had in somewhat recent history was the Spanish flu, after WW1. Millions died. The Black Plague was a doozy in it's time too, but tbh it still pales against the measles and smallpox (and syphilis) when we infected the New World with that.

3000 people is it that have died in this Ebola outbreak??? How many people does malaria kill every year??

Originally Posted by buriramboy

3000 people is it that have died in this Ebola outbreak??? How many people does malaria kill every year??

Oh stop being a turnip.

How many people get exposed to malaria every year?

Nowhere near the mortality rate.

3% against 50%.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

he was discharged from Texas Presbyterian

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

he returned to the hospital 4 days later

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Thomas Eric Duncan died

...

Originally Posted by zygote1

Nice dramatic spin.

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital staff is grieving the death of Duncan
. He had just returned from a trip to Africa and was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of Ebola.

I doubt any of the staff was grieving. People were probably hoping he expired so that they could be rid of the public health threat. Just returned from a trip to Africa? No. He was a Liberian resident, who's family had been trying for quite some time to sponsor him. He had been denied a visa for entry previously.

In fairness to the deceased, he was infected when he tried to help a pregnant woman. He should have taken the hint that she was infected with Ebola when multiple hospitals turned her away and she died the same day as he was moving her while she was leaking fluids. I give him credit for trying to help, but had he been truthful when asked at immigration if he had been near anyone sick, he probably could have been helped before the ebola infection manifested itself. The patients more likely to survive receive treatment before they show symptoms.

This is going to knock a hole in some of the airlines' bottom lines as people are going to avoid some hubs which service Africa.

That pretty well narrows it down to most major international airports then.

The race card players are now screaming RACISM !!!!
Evidently the hospital let this guy die as he was black. They say he died yet the white doctor that they flew back along with the white nurse both lived.
You couldn't make this shit up

Originally Posted by The Big Fella

The race card players are now screaming RACISM !!!!
Evidently the hospital let this guy die as he was black. They say he died yet the white doctor that they flew back along with the white nurse both lived.
You couldn't make this shit up

Recall reading elsewhere that the medicine used to treat the first two people is gone. Used up. Highly experimental medicines are usually not made in large amounts. Recall it will take months to produce more in any quantities.

I think Ebola is a lightweight minor disease on the grand scale of things. Compare it to the Black Death in England which killed of half the population in a matter of months. Ebola has been on the radar now for much longer and only killed 3000.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

I think Ebola is a lightweight minor disease on the grand scale of things. Compare it to the Black Death in England which killed of half the population in a matter of months. Ebola has been on the radar now for much longer and only killed 3000.

The problem this time is not getting a handle on it and containing the outbreak.
The more it spreads and the longer the outbreak continues the more chance it has to evolve into something more easy to catch.

Originally Posted by sabang

This is quite awful, at least as awful as those many Ebola victims in Africa.

But y'know, "uncontrollable virus"- Bird Flu anyone, AIDS? The end of the world is not nigh. The most terribly bad contagion the world had in somewhat recent history was the Spanish flu, after WW1. Millions died. The Black Plague was a doozy in it's time too, but tbh it still pales against the measles and smallpox (and syphilis) when we infected the New World with that.

Nasties such as Ebola only receive real attention when creeping into the West.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by sabang

This is quite awful, at least as awful as those many Ebola victims in Africa.

But y'know, "uncontrollable virus"- Bird Flu anyone, AIDS? The end of the world is not nigh. The most terribly bad contagion the world had in somewhat recent history was the Spanish flu, after WW1. Millions died. The Black Plague was a doozy in it's time too, but tbh it still pales against the measles and smallpox (and syphilis) when we infected the New World with that.

Nasties such as Ebola only receive real attention when creeping into the West.

Fuck you Jeff.

The West has sent teams in to deal with Ebola outbreaks for decades. People who put their lives on the line in a very real sense.

You think these drugs with real possibility of treating ebola came from wester countries becuase they were ignoring the problem?

You really are a tosser of the first order.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by sabang

This is quite awful, at least as awful as those many Ebola victims in Africa.

But y'know, "uncontrollable virus"- Bird Flu anyone, AIDS? The end of the world is not nigh. The most terribly bad contagion the world had in somewhat recent history was the Spanish flu, after WW1. Millions died. The Black Plague was a doozy in it's time too, but tbh it still pales against the measles and smallpox (and syphilis) when we infected the New World with that.

Nasties such as Ebola only receive real attention when creeping into the West.

They are not creeping into the West, the savages are airborne, and invading in droves, our border controls ( weak governance ) cannot contain the cocarota invasion.

Fox news reports, The end is nigh.

ABC News
October 12, 2014
By Geetika Rudra and Ben Candea

A female health care worker who treated Thomas Eric Duncan has contracted Ebola, becoming the first person to get the disease in the United States, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today.

Officials said the nurse was wearing full protective gear while treating Duncan in quarantine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, but somehow she got infected anyway, through what they said must have been a breach of Ebola safety protocol.

She started having symptoms -- including a low fever -- Friday night and drove herself to her own hospital. Within 90 minutes, she was in isolation and late Saturday night, the preliminary Ebola test came back positive.

The woman has been interviewed by investigators, but she could not identify when the breach may have happened, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said.

Full article: CDC Confirms New Ebola Diagnosis; Breach in Protocol Blamed - ABC News

Damn. That's sad. And somewhat scary that a presumably small breach in protocols can have such drastic consequences.

I have a feeling it's only going to get sillier. Sounds like this poor woman, who'd suffered an internal bleed, was essentially left to die.

Kenya: Ebola Scare As Woman Dies At JKIA
By Adow Mohamed

A 33-year old businesswoman died at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from gynecological-related bleeding and not ebola or Marbug as feared. The woman died on Saturday night, shortly after she arrived from Juba, South Sudan.

The death caused a scare at the busy airport. Medical tests conducted yesterday on her blood samples at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention laboratories were negative.

The woman, who hails from Gatundu, and whose name was not released to the media, is said to have died after massive bleeding. She was aboard a Fly540 flight that arrived at the airport at 6:45pm. Aircraft staff alerted the JKIA Port Health Centre officials.

Speaking at the airport yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said the woman complained that she was feeling dizzy and started bleeding profusely minutes after she arrived.

"She was quickly quarantined at the screening centre in critical condition, until all tests were done. Doctors attempted to resuscitate her, but she unfortunately passed on at 8pm," he said.

Before the tests were done, there was panic at the airport. JKIA and the airline's management frantically tried to recall all passengers who had been aboard the plane for testing and quarantine, but most had already left.

Macharia admitted that there was a lapse at the facility before the woman was noticed as being severely sick. "Such cases ought to be reported even before the plane lands for appropriate measures to be taken. We must be very vigilant even with passengers on board before arrival," he warned.

The international arrivals terminal was deserted after word went round that a woman had died there. This inconvenienced many passengers for some time before the staff were assured of their safety and returned to continue offering services.

Health workers screening travelers for ebola at JKIA yesterday complained of poor equipment and lack of follow-up on passengers from ebola-hit countries after 21 days as required by World Health Organisation regulations.

Joseph Chege, a relative of the dead woman, said she has been unwell for some time and she was referred to Nairobi for further medical attention. He said she had an appointment with doctors at the Nairobi Hospital and was travelling back to Kenya from South Sudan for the check-up.

Director of Medical Services Nicholas Muraguri said the body was moved to a clinic within the airport. Dr Muraguri said the plane was also disinfected.

There was limited and controlled access to the clinic and its environs, where the passenger's body lay before it was released to family members yesterday. Another relative, who gave his name only as Maina, claimed the passenger died after she was neglected at the clinic for more than an hour.

"They left her to die as no one wanted to be close to her. Even health officials were not available to help her," he said. The airport is on high alert for any case of the viral disease that has so far killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa. Kenya Airways suspended its flights to parts of West Africa for fear of ebola.

allAfrica.com: Kenya: Ebola Scare As Woman Dies At JKIA

In this particular instance, I think Mr Duncan died from his viral infection exacerbated by stupidity.

The 4 days he was denied treatment probably sealed his fate and, doubtless, many more to come.

Americans, and certainly those from hick states like Texas, are of course the X factor in the disease's spread with the Spanish dagos coming a close second in lethality.

God help us all.