Ebola Victim in Texas Is Identified as a Liberian, Thomas Eric Duncan

NY Times ^ | 10-01-2014 | By NORIMITSU ONISHI

[Red Badger]

MONROVIA, Liberia — A man who flew to Dallas and was later found to have the Ebola virus was identified by senior Liberian government officials on Wednesday as Thomas Eric Duncan, a resident of Monrovia in his mid-40s.

Mr. Duncan, the first person to develop symptoms outside Africa during the current epidemic, had direct contact with a woman stricken by Ebola on Sept. 15, just four days before he left Liberia for the United States, the woman’s parents and Mr. Duncan’s neighbors said.

In a pattern often seen here in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, the family of the woman, Marthalene Williams, 19, took her by taxi to a hospital with Mr. Duncan’s help on Sept. 15 after failing to get an ambulance, said her parents, Emmanuel and Amie Williams. She was convulsing but also seven months pregnant, they said.

Turned away from a hospital for lack of space in its Ebola treatment ward, the family said it took Ms. Williams back home in the evening, and that she died hours later, around 3 a.m.

Mr. Duncan, who was a family friend and also a tenant in a house owned by the Williams family, rode in the taxi in the front passenger seat while Ms. Williams, her father and her brother, Sonny Boy, shared the back seat, her parents said. Mr. Duncan then helped carry Ms. Williams, who was no longer able to walk, back to the family home that evening, neighbors said.

[PghBaldy]

I think he is black.

[P-Marlowe]

He’s probably not going to survive.

How many more Liberians have been exposed and have traveled to the US in order to ensure that they will get better treatment than they would get in Africa?

Can we expect a whole slew of potential Ebola carriers to come here in anticipation of getting treatment?

How can we ensure this isn’t happening now and do we have the will to stop it?

[PghBaldy]

FWIW, Liberia is 85% Christian.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

So he knew he had direct exposure to Ebola and yet decided to travel to the United States.

This is DELIBERATE. This is an attack on America.

[Da Coyote]

“I think he is black.”

Dat’s racisssssssssss.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

So you came into contact with this deathly ill Ebola patient, riding around with her in a taxi and carrying her back into the house, and then you went ahead and flew to a foreign country four days later???

YOU IDIOT!

PING!

[Sacajaweau]

I found and posted a picture from 2012

[PghBaldy]

I thought it would narrow it down a bit ;)

[PghBaldy]

Thank you.

[MNDude]

So it was a danger for him to transport someone in a taxi, but our government tells us there was no danger of him traveling in a plane.

[caww]

He is Liberian.....according to his sister..and told them at the hospital that he was.

[Uncle Miltie]

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

[COUNTrecount]

[Red Badger]

Seeing that he’s from Liberia, there probably are none readily available. try Facebook?...........

[Red Badger]

Lazarus Long!........AKA Robert Heinlein!.....

[Kartographer]

Was there sex involved as well? I mean you might as ‘hit it’, right Laz? ;-)

[caww]

At this point we need to figure he won't be the first one....this guy slipped through the hospital team set up for that....apparently a nurse did not relay he had said he was from Liberia....it wasn't til he began vomiting they sent an ambulance for him as they suspected Ebola then.

I tend to think the family is going to do whatever they have to and are told to do...

I question where they have these people, he was in contact with, quaranteened....at home or in a facility.

[dforest]

This person should have never been allowed into the US. I think he did this on purpose.

[Blue Highway]

His coming here knowingly diseased with Ebola would be considered a terrorist act no?

[WildHighlander57]

Facebook page is gone....