West africa, setting up hospitals, Training Centers and labs. Secretary of state john kerry says a vital part of this fight is keeping our american borders open. We need ebola treatment units, we need Health Care Workers, we need medevac capacity, we need mobile laboratory and staff. We need nonmedical support. And we need ways of getting that equipment to people. We need airlines to continue to operate in west africa. And we need borders to remain open. Other news here at home, the u. S. Is stepping up screenings of passengers who travel here from ebolastricken nations. There has been significant increases in the screening of passengers leaving the affected countries and were evaluating, as i referenced, what additional measures we can take both domestically and elsewhere to better guard against that threat. Those extra checks are starting at five of the busiest airports. Chicago, atlanta, d. C. And new york. And in omaha today nbc freelance cameraman ashoesh ka mukpo is receiving a potentially lifesaving blood transfusion from dr. Kent brantly. Its only possible because the two have the same blood type. We have a lot of breaking news to get to. Sarah doloff is live outside the hospital in dallas, where i mentioned duncan died today. I understand you have some news for us. What can you tell us . Reporter yeah, we have just received a report from the city of frisco, texas. Thats about 30 minutes north of dallas. That they have received a call from someone saying they are exhibiting signs and symptoms of ebola and that they had contact with Thomas Eric Duncan. They are in the process of transporting this patient. They are also evaluating the clinical staff and anyone else at that facility right now. We to want caution, this is not confirmed. This is just a report at this time. Were going to have a press conference about 3 30 local time in regards to this. But let me reiterate for you, a possible second patient, someone who says theyve had contact with duncan, exhibiting signs and symptoms of ebola. Once again, not confirmed. Now, this news comes on the heels of his death today. Just before 8 a. M. The hospital confirmed that he had passed away early this morning. Now, his family has released a statement. He came here actually to marry his fiancee. She released a statement which reads in part, my family is in deep sadness and grief but we leigh him in the hands of god. Our deepest sympathies go out to his father and family in liberia and here in america. Eric was a wonderful man who showed compassion towards all. I trust a thorough examination will take place regarding all aspects of his care. I am now dealing with the sorrow and anger that his son was not able to see him before he died. This is dramatically changed our lives. And we will be grieving for a long time. May eric rest in peace. Now, the hospital here has come under scrutiny for their decision to discharge duncan on the 24th, after he came here to the emergency room. He returned on september 28th in an ambulance and was diagnosed with ebola. From there he was in serious condition and then downgraded over the weekend to critical condition. He was on a ventilator, kidney dialysis machine. Right now all officials are expressing their sympathies toward their family as well as commending the medical staff, saying this has been a real test of their Health Care System and that the staff did all they could and that duncan fought very hard until the end. Now, his family drove down from North Carolina yesterday. They were actually able to meet with doctors. They got a small glimmer of hope when they were told his fever had subsided and that his liver function had actually improved somewhat. But, unfortunately, they always knew his death was a real possibility. And they knew the severity of his condition. For now, we will wait for news of this press conference in frisco, texas, about the possible second ebola patient. I want to remind you, they have been monitoring carefully 48 people who had some type of contact with duncan. That includes three family members and ten medical workers. Were in the window right now, a critical window, for these 48 people. Most people develop symptoms of ebola eight to ten days after exposure. Today for a lot of these people marks day ten. Back to you. Sarah, thank you for that report. At least from someone saying they might have that contact and checking themselves in. Well stay on that. Now were going to a dallas pastor who is ministering thomas duncans fiancee while in isolation. Lease listen. Judge jenkins and i went to deliver the news to her this morning, along with the boys. It was important to us that we be able to do so before the news hit the public. It was a painful and difficult time for her. She reacted as almost anyone would, with great shock and despair. She expressed that in her own personal way, with great emotion. Everyone receives news like this differently in terms of the way they react to it. She was quite emotional in her expression of sadness, but she soon recovered and was able to think clearly and begin to help us to prepare a statement for you, which i think you have probably received. Were now going to turn to dr. Claudia hoinen,en Infectious Disease special at University Hospital case medical center. How are you . Im fine. Thank you. Lets start with what sarah doloff was just reporting. Lets be precise. An individual turning themselves in and saying basically they think they have symptoms. They want that looked at. So, we have no medical opinion yet on whether that might be any kind of second case. Walk us through how the medical authorities here deal with this, particularly these 40some people that may have had some kind of contact with what is now the first deceased ebola patient in the u. S. I dont know if the person who turned themselves was one of the 48. I had not heard that. But i would think that anyone coming forward in a hospital with the story of having fever and also saying they think theyve had contact with an ebola patient, we would take that seriously, as im sure they are. Things theyre probably going to do is monitor the patient over the next several hours to see how things go. And also probably check some preliminary Laboratory Tests to see if there are any indications that there may be some clinical changes or some laboratory changes consistent with it. Again, i think that by monitoring these people who have had contact, its really the best thing we can do and make sure that they get early care if they do start exhibiting symptoms. Is this an area you would prefer some sort of falsepositives or folks being overly cautious in saying, i feel a fever . I would think if, you know, somebody came to me with that history, i would certainly be overly cautious. As we know, people are very frightened by this. We want to be sure were doing the best for the patient as well. So, you know, these are patients that were going to want to take seriously and make sure that we are containing spread. Doctor, on that note, Thomas Eric Duncan originally went to the hospital with abdominal pain and with a fever. But because he did not have all the symptoms of ebola, he wasnt throwing up or had diarrhea, they ended up sending him home, not coming back for another two days. The question on a lot of peoples minds, would the outcome have been different had they taken him in the first time he went . I think its hard for us to say, looking back in time exactly what would have happened to mr. Duncan. I dont know all of the history that they got from him, so that would be another important piece of information for people to realize. But i think that, you know, now that were aware that, you know, people are coming into the United States and could be potentially exposed, the rest of us are really making sure that were asking those questions that were put up by the cdc in terms of patients with fever, abdominal pain, making sure that we are checking for any sort of travel history for them. And, doctor, we know Thomas Eric Duncan was receiving this experimental treatment. Can we read anything into the fact that treatment was sadly unsuccessful and what is the Current Treatment of ebola treatments in general . I think that, you know, were really in the early stages of this. I know that for some of the other people they used the treatment for, they were already at a different point in their disease. So, i think that its really too early to tell. There have not been any Clinical Trials on this. And in he medicine sometimes we need to try things if we think theyre going to work for people who are gravely and seriously ill. And so i think that by trying this medication on him, is a good idea. Again, we dont know exactly when it was started in terms of his clinical coercion. It may have just been it was too late. Doctor, this outbreak, this global outbreak, has been painful for the medical community. So far 208 Health Care Workers have died globally. Most recently we have a nurse in spain who has grown infected from trying to treat somebody who was infected. Duncans death reminds us that those of us in this country cannot keep everyone in this country safe, as i think we thought until he passed away. So, why is it so many medical providers have passed away in this instance, and do you think do you detect a sense of fear in the medical community that folks could try to go in and help as theyre supposed to do, as they take an oath to do, and then get sick themselves . As you said, we all take an oath. We all make a commitment to this field. And we hope we are Strong Enough to be able to help people in their times of dire need. Again, fortunately, in this country, i feel safer than if i were treating ebola patients in africa. I know that currently i have a lot of things at my disposal. And i have the resources to be able to protect myself. In terms of keeping myself safe from the virus. So i think that even as a Health Care Provider in this country, were always diligent and were always trying to protect ourselves and our patients from spreading diseases. So, i think that well just need to, you know, get the strength and the kurnlg and i think that we are going to be fine. Dr. Claudia hoyen, thank you for your medical expertise here today. We do have all the angles on this story coming up. Including, were going to look at some of these new travel screenings. How duncans death may change. How doctors treat it at home and how worried the rest of us should be. That and, of course, the very latest from what i mentioned earlier, the president s meeting at the pentagon. Were expecting to hear president obamas first comments here since duncans death. Later in the hour well look at isis. Lots of fastmoving developments this afternoon as the cycle rolls on. Play maker. Check out my ultimate meats pizza. Uh huh, looks great. Five meats working together. I love it. A team of ingredients. Youre trying to make a football joke. Yeah, funny . Brutal actually. Stick to pizza. Anncr pepperoni, salami, sausage, canadian and Hickory Smoked bacon. Up your game, with the new ultimate meats pizza. A large for 12 dollars. Add a mega Chocolate Chip Cookie for just 5 dollars more. Better ingredients. Better pizza. Better football. Papa johns. The death of the first person diagnosed with ebola in the United States and now a possible second one is adding even more urgency to efforts to make sure more cases do not come here. Now, we mentioned increased screenings at some of americas busiest airports. Luke russert is at Dulles International outside of washington. One of those five airports under the cdcs microscope. Talk to us about what these screenings entail and how passengers are reacting. Reporter well, abby, the five airports you mentioned, atlanta, newark, jfk and dulles and ohare, they get about 94 of passengers who travel from the west african countries that have been effected with ebola. Those passengers, even if theyre connecting from other states or come here directly from other countries, will be subjected to enhanced screening techniques. What does that mean . Immediately when you come off the plane from one of these countries youll be taken by a customs or Border Patrol person and someone from the cdc will be present, and youll have a handless thermometer pointed at your forehead to see if you have signs of fever. If you have a fever, youll be directed to a Health Care Professional who will make the determination if you should be released from the airport or undergo further medical evaluation. If you dont show signs of ebola, youll be asked questions, asking if you could have been in contact with the ebola virus. Even when youre released, your Contact Information will be taken and youll be asked to keep a temperature log for 21 days. In the event you feel sick in any capacity, youre asked to go to your local hospital and actually give the doctor there this pamphlet that this customs and Border Patrol agent will hand you. So, these are very intrusive measures. Unlike anything from what ive talked to officials weve seen before here in the United States. And people traveling from those countries will be subjected to them. Theres a lot of folks in the government, Charles Schumer from new york, senator, says this is a good idea. They want to keep the borders of those countries open because they want medical personnel to come in and out. They believe this enhanced technique can make a difference, at least get a good registry of people who have come from those countries who could exhibit symptoms eventually. Some passengers i spoke to about this at the terminal, they said they were supportive of it. Anecdotal anecdotally, obviously. Once we see it put in action and more people are infringed upon, maybe well have a different idea after that. So far, quite a step by the u. S. Government to try and shore up security against ebola in the airports, abby. Increased, indeed. Luke russert, thank you for that. Lets turn to dr. Howard mercale, author of when germs travel six epidemics that have ini vaded america and the fears they unleashed. In this specific case, what is worse, the reality or the fears . Oh, i think the fear is much greater than the reality. At least in the United States of america. In west africa, of course, the reality is terrible. Doctor, what do you make of what luke russert was describing in terms of the increased security procedures at the airport, all passengers coming from west africa will be screened to see if they have any symptoms at the time, then theyll also be keeping a log over the next 20 or so days. If they exhibit symptoms, theyre told to go to the hospital with a pamphlet given to them by the cdc. Is this necessary . Is it effective . Well, if its effective, only time will tell. I think its a very measured and layered approach. I do not think its intrusive, as the reporter stated. We are, after all, talking about an extremely deadly disease, ebola. One thing that has not been discussed, in the case of mr. Duncan, it didnt matter if we did those screenings because he wasnt exactly forthcoming where he traveled from. Now that a registry is set up, thats a very good idea. You studied how these types of pandemics can move globally. We know ebola has surfaced in about 16 countries total. A minority of the earths surface. Was it inevitable in your view that it would surface in the United States given what an open hub we are . It was highly likely given both those issues. We have to realize in todays global village, an outbreak anywhere can go everywhere. We travel at warp speed around the world. You can get anywhere to anywhere else in less than 24 hours. So, it was something that we were concerned about and, unfortunately, has occurred. Doctor, your book is called when germs travel six epidemics that have invaded america and the fears they have unleashed. Two questions, if you were writing this book now, would you include this ebola moment within top six or top seven . And what is the Worst Epidemic that has invaded america . Well, i certainly would include this if i were writing the book today because ebola fits all of these issues in terms of fear. And particularly when a disease is especially scary, you die in a very terrible manner, and we dont know much about it, that really fits all the criteria for a fearful response to a pandemic. Perhaps the worst pandemic in Human History happened in 1918 with the great influenza pandemic. That probably did come from european shores but we dont know exactly where it came from. Doctor, secretary of state john kerry spoke earlier about the need to confront this epidemic in west africa. Lets take a listen. Im here this morning to make an urgent plea to countries in the world to step up even further. While we are making progress, we are not where we can say we need to be. And there is additional there are Additional Needs that have to be met in order for the Global Community to properly respond to this challenge and to make sure that we protect people in all of our countries. Doctor, in order to really keep us safe here in the u. S. , does most of our energy really need to be focused on west africa and containing the epidemic there . Well, absolutely. I agree with former senator kerry that what i was saying earlier, an outbreak anywhere can go everywhere. There are no borders. There are no more boundaries. The wide Atlantic Ocean is not that wide at all, nor is the pacific. So, the health of other nations far away is really very important to our own public health. And the real test here is what are the wealthy nations going to do in terms of investing in the infrastructure of these impovered nations. Its not just ebola thats the problem in west africa. Its remarkably poor infrastructure, few hospital facilities, up until recently they didnt even have rubber gloves to treat patients with to protect the Health Care Workers. So, we really this is impera