First Ebola patient diagnosed in U.S. dies

Guest post by Tina Hesman Saey

The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States has died.

Thomas Eric Duncan, who contracted the virus in Liberia and fell ill four days after traveling to Dallas, was reportedly being treated with an experimental drug called brincidofovir at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. He died October 8 at 7:51 a.m. Central time, a statement from Texas Health Resources said.

Duncan’s close contacts are being monitored for signs of the disease. Ebola symptoms may appear as soon as six days or as long as 21 days after having direct contact with body fluids from an infected person.

To date, no other Ebola cases have been diagnosed in the United States, but other Americans have contracted the virus in West Africa and have been brought back to the United States for treatment. 

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