A 42-year-old Liberian man, Thomas Eric Duncan, was the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States. He passed away last Wednesday morning because of the disease.
His fiancé Louise Troh and her 13-year-old son together with two other men are still under quarantine. All of them were living with Duncan at the time he was showing symptoms of the virus. Under orders from state health officials, they are not allowed to leave the premises for 21 days which is the maximum incubation period of the virus.
The death of Duncan sparked a public health scare since he was the first person to be diagnosed with the virus in the United States. Many questioned the fact that he was released from the hospital with the virus and might have spread the disease with other people unknowingly.
He died on the same day when a sergeant with the Dallas County sheriff's office was rushed to the hospital and monitored for possible exposure to Ebola. Since the sheriff had been in the apartment where Duncan was staying, federal health officials said his conditions are still being assessed. It could take around 48 hours or two days to be certain.
Last September 25, Duncan went to the emergency room of the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and was sent home after. Three days passed and he came back again after he felt his condition worsened.
According to Troh, "I trust a thorough examination will take place regarding all aspects of his care."
A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services said that officials were considering investigating what happened that led to the delay in the treatment of Duncan. Officials also wanted to look at the hospital's compliance with state health and safety laws and regulations. However, the spokeswoman added that the agency's "top focus right now is the contact investigation and monitoring."
Director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, told reporters last Wednesday that although Ebola could be fatal in many patients, it is imperative and urgent for the disease to be diagnosed early. According to Frieden, "The earlier someone is diagnosed, the more likely they will be to survive."
