Fort Worth

Jenkins, Rawlings Grade, Dissect Dallas' Ebola Response

See the exclusive interview during NBC 5 News at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., Thursday

Two leaders credited with keeping Dallas-Fort Worth calm during the height of the Ebola threat, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, sat down exclusively with NBC 5 to discuss the crisis, the tense moments behind closed doors and the deeply personal toll curbing the outbreak took on their own lives.

Jenkins, who leads the county's commissioners court, said he tried to lead with compassion but that he and his family were scrutinized publicly after he visited Louise Troh and her family while wearing plain clothes and no protective gear. Troh's family was quarantined at the time, having been exposed to the potentially deadly disease by her fiancee, Thomas Eric Duncan, who was staying with them in Dallas while visiting from Liberia.

Two leaders credited with keeping Dallas-Fort Worth calm during the height of the Ebola threat, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, sat down exclusively with NBC 5 to discuss the crisis, the tense moments behind closed doors and the deeply personal toll curbing the outbreak took on their own lives.

Concern swelled after Jenkins then drove the Troh family to a new apartment, again without protective gear.

Duncan was, of course, the first person in the U.S. to be diagnosed with the disease. The virus killed him on Oct. 8, 11 days after he was put into isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and two weeks after he first became symptomatic.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke to NBC 5 about the city and county’s response to the Ebola crisis.

Rawlings said his low moment came four days after nurse Nina Pham had been diagnosed with the disease, when nurse Amber Vinson was also confirmed to have contracted Ebola two days after being cleared to travel on a commercial flight.

Here is part one of our exclusive story, which will air during NBC 5 News at 6 p.m. today.
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