A Dallas, Texas hospital has just announced the death of Liberian man, Thomas Eric Duncan, who was diagnosed with Ebola at the hospital September 30, 3014.
Duncan’s family had earlier expressed concern over discriminatory care he was receiving in the US. The family had called on civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson to intervene for him to receive the best possible care, according to a report by The Independent. Jackson arrived Dallas, Tuesday on an humanitarian aid mission.
Liberian authorities had threatened Duncan with prosecution if he returned home for allegedly lying on his airport travel forms.
“Thomas deserves the love and the best medical treatment America can afford as has happened for all the other Americans who have contracted this terrible disease,” the civil rights activist told Fox News. “He must be treated as a patient with all the human rights deserved, not as a criminal.”
Jackson claimed that Duncan, 42, was initially sent home from the hospital, despite showing symptoms of the deadly viral disease because he did not have insurance.
Jackson took his campaign to Twitter with tweets saying, “kill the disease and not the person”.
#NewsOneNow w/ @rolandsmartin Re: My #Dallas trip to ensure #ThomasEricDuncan receives best medical care. Kill disease not person.#Ebola.
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) October 7, 2014
Duncan was reportedly given the experimental drug brincidofovir as his conditioned worsened over the weekend. He had been placed in isolation for ten days prior to his death and was reportedly on dialysis as at yesterday.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 announced that Duncan’s passing in a statement by email:
It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51 am. 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.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings speaking about Duncan’s death at a council meeting said, “This hurts deeply. We were hoping this was not going to happen.”
The Ebola epidemic has claimed almost 4,000 lives since it first broke in December 2013. Three West African countries – Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone – have been worse hit by the epidemic.
A Spanish nurse has tested positive to the virus. She was in the medical team that treated a 75-year-old missionary who contracted the disease in West Africa and was flown home. She has been placed in isolation along with her husband and three others in Madrid.
There are concerns that the Ebola outbreak may become a global epidemic, infecting as many as 1.4 million before it is contained.
Just arrived in Texas to go and pray with the family of Mr. Thomas Eric Duncan. pic.twitter.com/0ZHNJtj6hp
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) October 7, 2014
Praying with Thomas Eric Duncan's mother, sister and nephews. pic.twitter.com/b3AiTpIyLG
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) October 7, 2014
