The man who brought Ebola to Texas

[Holac]

[Holac]

The first America-diagnosed Ebola patient now has more troubles heaped upon his feverish shoulders. Liberia has announced that they plan to prosecute the man for lying on his airport questionnaire. The man, Thomas Eric Duncan, has answered two questions during the screening process claiming that he had not come into contact with an individual infected with Ebola. However, this was not accurate. Duncan’s landlord’s daughter, who was reportedly pregnant, in Liberia was stricken with Ebola during his residence. Duncan, along with her family members, brought her to a hospital hoping to provide her with life-saving care. However, they were unable to have her admitted to the facility and brought her back home. There, it is reported that Duncan helped bring her back inside the family home, where she shortly passed away.

 

On Liberia’s health screening for airline passengers it is asked whether travelers have cared for a patient stricken with Ebola or with the bodies of those who have died of the virus. Duncan negatively answered both questions, which is the cause behind the Liberian government’s accusations that he has perjured himself. Liberia has restricted travel out of the country for those who may be carrying the Ebola virus in order to prevent the spread of the virulent virus.

 

However, it is unclear whether Duncan is guilty of knowingly lying on his travel documentation. Initially, the family believed that the young woman was not suffering from Ebola, but rather had serious complications from her pregnancy. Neighbors in Liberia claim that Ebola was not suspected until much later and it is unclear whether Duncan ever knew that the young lady had been infected with Ebola. As he had not yet begun to demonstrate symptoms of Ebola, he was likely not contagious during his travels from Liberia. While virulent, Ebola can only be spread through bodily fluids, which means that many individuals may not suspect they have been exposed to the virus as they have not had prolonged contact with an infected person. Whether this Duncan will be able to mount a defense against the perjury charges with this information is not yet known.

 

During his stay in Texas, Duncan stayed with a local family of four. This family has been placed under quarantine, as they have had close contact with Duncan as he became symptomatic while in their home. Law enforcement is maintaining a presence outside of the family’s home in order to enforce the strict quarantine and will regularly deliver groceries and daily necessities to the home. The household will be receiving regular testing as well, in order for them to receive prompt treatment if they are infected. This will last 21 days, which may be some of the longest days in this household’s life, in order to ensure safety.

 

Health officials in Texas have noted that as many as a hundred individuals may have been exposed to Ebola, but they also stated that the vast majority are not at high risk for infection. Persons infected with Ebola are only contagious after they begin to demonstrate symptoms of the illness and Duncan began to feel ill well after his flight to the United States. This number may have been lower if Duncan had been diagnosed sooner. Physicians at the Dallas hospital where he initially sought treatment believed he had a typical viral infection and were only able to properly diagnose him after receiving positive Ebola test results on his blood work.

[Holac]

Lying bastard. If you are sick you should tell healthcare officials so that they can give you better care and better protect themselves and others.

[Holac]

[Khayr]

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@Holac

said:</cite>

Lying bastard. If you are sick you should tell healthcare officials so that they can give you better care and better protect themselves and others.

 

 

Why tell them everything? Would they get better care in Liberia when people are trying go flee from this killer virus? It was survival instinct and any American should understand that. The arrogance of the Yanks never ceases to amaze. Liberia's U.S. bank rolled President is also a Big Ape - an Idiot!

[Dhagax-Tuur]

^wouldn't you have done the same? Escape to the countries with the better health care.

 

Most,if not all, of these African countries, Ebola is a death sentence.

 

The western countries have the medicine and knowhow, yet they mostly ignored in the early stages of the epidemic, and to showcase that an African ain't worth much, they airlifted every westerner afflicted by Ebola.

 

Don't blame him. Most of us would have done it.

[Alpha Blondy]

he had to be black. that's disappointing.

[Khayr]

<cite>

@Dhagax-Tuur

said:</cite>

^wouldn't you have done the same? Escape to the countries with the better health care.

 

Most,if not all, of these African countries, Ebola is a death sentence.

 

The western countries have the medicine and knowhow, yet they mostly ignored in the early stages of the epidemic, and to showcase that an African ain't worth much, they airlifted every westerner afflicted by Ebola.

 

Saxib, I totally agree with you.

[Holac]

If the patient volunteered to disclose facts to healthcare officials at the hospital, Duncan would have still received the same kind of care he is getting today. If I was caring for an Ebola patient, it would not be difficult for me to isolate myself and let healthcare responders know ahead of time I was exposed to the disease . It is reckless and wrong to stay silent, in my humble opinion.

[Khayr]

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@Holac

said:</cite>

...in my humble opinion.

 

Correction - It is not a humble opinion but rather an arrogant opinion that parrots what has been said in the media.

[Holac]

Khayr, if we stay silent when feeling sick with a highly contagious disease, we bring harm to the very people we want to help us; family members, friends, doctors, nurses etc. It is not arrogance. It is common sense saxib.

[Dhagax-Tuur]

Liberia would have stopped him travelling had he disclosed his Ebola status.

 

Have you seen the state of people, many children left to die on beds?

 

That man has done what anyone of us would have.

[DoctorKenney]

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@Khayr

said:</cite>

Why tell them everything? Would they get better care in Liberia when people are trying go flee from this killer virus? It was survival instinct and any American should understand that. The arrogance of the Yanks never ceases to amaze. Liberia's U.S. bank rolled President is also a Big Ape - an Idiot!

 

So you're telling me it's a good idea for an Ebola-ridden patient to run to America and not immediately disclose the risk factors?

 

You do realize North America has well over 500 million people, and that preventing the spread of this contagious disease is a top priority right?

 

That's not arrogance, that's being pragmatic. I'm sure you wouldn't want an Ebola-ridden patient to come to Mogadishu, so why are you demanding a double standard for Americans? Why do you insist Americans don't take the proper precautions to safeguard their health?

[DoctorKenney]

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@Dhagax-Tuur

said:</cite>

Liberia would have stopped him travelling had he disclosed his Ebola status.

 

Have you seen the state of people, many children left to die on beds?

 

That man has done what anyone of us would have

.

 

And I'm not blaming him for doing so.

 

But you can't blame the American authorities for being pissed off about this

[Safferz]

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@DoctorKenney

said:</cite>

And I'm not blaming him for doing so.

 

But you can't blame the American authorities for being pissed off about this

 

It's not American authorities who are pissed, it's Liberia that's pissed lol. They're the ones who disclosed his name (patient confidentiality is the law in the US, so his name would not have gotten out if it wasn't for the Liberian government) and they announced they'll prosecute him when he returns for allegedly lying on the questionnaire. The US doesn't care -- their only concern is containing the disease and making sure it doesn't spread. Don't conflate how the media is talking about him and public hysteria with how the CDC is treating the case.