Ebola patient in Dallas, Texas dies

Thomas Eric Duncan, the man who was diagnosed as the first Ebola patient in the United States has died in a Dallas, Texas Hospital.

The Associated Press has reported that Wendell Watson, a spokesman for the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital confirmed Duncan’s death Wednesday morning. The man was admitted to the hospital last week after complaining of Ebola-like symptoms. Testing from CDC officials confirmed the Ebola virus.

SEE ALSO: Are tobacco plants the best defense against Ebola?

Duncan had arrived to Dallas from Liberia on September 20 without symptoms, but days later fell ill, according to officials.

“This individual who left Liberia on the 19^th of Sept. and arrived on the 20^th reported no symptoms originally,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. “It wasn’t until Sept 28^th that they were admitted to a Texas hospital.”

Thomas Eric Duncan was kept in isolation ever since, but officials fear he posed a danger to other in the time before he was admitted to the hospital.

They say 10 people had direct contact with the man while he was contagious.

SEE ALSO: Ebola in the US: Why you shouldn’t worry

In his press conference last week, Dr. Frieden reiterated that, “Ebola is only spread with direct contact with someone who has the virus.”

It’s important to remember that Duncan showed no signs of illness when he first arrived in the U.S.

ABC 6 News in Dallas has reported that of the 10 people Duncan was in contact with while contagious, seven of them were health workers. Another 38 people might have also been in contact with him while he was contagious.

Ebola is only spread person to person with direct contact with body fluids–such as blood, urine and feces–of an infected person.

ABC 6 reports: “The four people living in the northeast Dallas apartment where Duncan stayed have been isolated in a private residence.”