Dallas

Hospital Releases Statement About Ebola Victim's Care

Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan, who died Wednesday in Dallas after becoming the first person to be diagnosed with the deadly virus in the United States, had told doctors not to resuscitate him to prolong his life, the hospital that treated him said Thursday.

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital detailed Duncan's care and death in a statement it released Thursday afternoon hoping to "correct misconceptions" about the much-scrutinized Ebola case and about Duncan's treatment.

Duncan died when his heart stopped at 7:51 a.m., the hospital said. He had told his doctor the care team "should not perform chest compressions, defibrillation or cardioversion to prolong his life," according to the hospital.

Because Duncan's blood type was not compatible with Fort Worth doctor Kent Brantly, he did not receive the same type of serum transfusion as an NBC News freelancer being treated for Ebola in Nebraska, the hospital said.

The hospital says Duncan was the first Ebola patient to receive the investigative antiviral drug Brincidofovir, and his doctors gave him the drug as soon as it could be obtained after consulting with experts across the country, the CDC and the FDA.

Some have questioned why Duncan did not receive the drug ZMapp, the hospital reiterated the drug was not available. According to the CDC and the drug manufacturer, it has not been available since Aug. 12, 2014.

Texas Health Presbyterian, which has come under fire from Duncan's family and others about his initial trip to the hospital, said it wanted to correct some misconceptions about his first visit.

"Our care team provided Mr. Duncan with the same high level of attention and care that would be given any patient, regardless of nationality or ability to pay for care. In this case that included a four-hour evaluation and numerous tests," the hospital said. "We have a long history of treating a multicultural community in this area."

The hospital said the team of 50 nurses and doctors who cared for him, as well as the entire Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas community, are grieving the loss of Duncan.

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