Liberian doctor Abraham Borbor died from Ebola, though he received ZMapp, the experimental Ebola drug.
Borbor was one of three Africans who took ZMapp. There is no word on the conditions of the other patients.
Information Minister Lewis Brown told the Associated Press that Borbor had been doing better, but he “took a turn for the worse” on Sunday.
“He was walking around yesterday and the doctors were hopeful that he would make a full recovery,” he said. He added, “He was a classmate in high school, so this hits close to home.”
Borbor was Liberia’s only internist doctor.
American doctor Kent Brantly and aid worker Nancy Writebol took ZMapp and survived. CNN was quick to credit the drug for their survival, but the Center for Disease Control (CDC) urged caution instead of jumping to conclusions. The drug is still in its early stages and has been tested on a few animals. A Spanish priest took the drug, but he died. Ebola also infected Dr. Phillip Zokonis Ireland, who did not take the medicine. He was isolated with Dr. Borbor, but he left the ward with a clean bill of health.
British national William Pooley was infected at a hospital in Sierra Leone. Britain flew him back on a special jet from the Royal Air Force to London’s Royal Free Hospital, and experts will treat him in an isolation ward. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that one of their workers, an epidemiologist, is infected. No details were released on the patient, but WHO said he is “receiving the best care possible.”
Even if the drug does help patients, there are no more samples; six were made and used. Experts said it could be months before more ZMapp is developed. In total, there are 2,473 confirmed cases and 1,350 deaths in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. Congo reported two deaths from Ebola but said it is another strain, and Nigeria reported fourteen cases of Ebola with five deaths.
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