Dallas Ebola Patient Still In Critical Condition
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The first patient to be diagnosed with the Ebola virus in the United States remains in critical condition Wednesday morning. Thomas Duncan has now been in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas for more than 10 days. Medical officials stated that he is on a ventilator, receiving kidney dialysis, and getting an experimental Ebola treatment.
And the clock is ticking for dozens of other people under observation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Personnel are monitoring 48 individuals who are confirmed to have had close contact with Duncan while he was carrying the virus, before he was admitted into the hospital and put into isolation.
Some of Duncan's family members are among those 48 individuals.
The patient's son traveled to Dallas from Angelo State University on Tuesday in hopes of visiting his father at the hospital. But that did not happen. Instead, Kasiah Duncan went to a church and prayed for his father -- who he hasn't seen in 16 years. "I came down here because I feel like God was calling me to come see my dad," he said.
The college freshman also had some advice for his mother, who remains in isolation and under observation for at least 12 more days. "Be strong. It is hard being in the house for 21 days," he said, "not knowing what was going ot happen after she gets out and stuff. I hope you all keep praying my family's okay and my dad makes it out safely."
Health officials explained that those with the virus can begin showing Ebola symptoms anywhere from eight to 10 days after exposure.
Complete Coverage Of Ebola In Dallas
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital officials said that, during this time, some patients have been staying away from their facility. Dallas city leaders have urged citizens to remain calm.
Several vehicles with the Dallas County Sheriff's Department were decontaminated on Tuesday afternoon. They were driven by deputies who went to the apartment unit where Duncan was staying. The deputies were not wearing protective gear at the time. The decontamination was performed out of an abundance of caution.
Meanwhile, the Liberian community in North Texas has been rallying around Duncan's family. A prayer vigil is scheduled for Wednesday night at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.
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