‘We’re Sorry’

Dallas Hospital Admits Ebola Mistakes

Top doctor apologizes in testimony to Congress.

The chief clinical officer at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, where Thomas Eric Duncan died of Ebola and two nurses contracted the disease, will apologize Thursday for errors in diagnosing Duncan, saying in prepared remarks to be presented to Congress that “We made mistakes.” In prepared testimony that was posted online Wednesday and which will be presented to the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Dr. Daniel Varga, senior vice president of Presbyterian, acknowledges problems at the hospital. “Unfortunately, in our initial treatment of Mr. Duncan, despite our best intentions and a highly skilled medical team, we made mistakes. We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. We are deeply sorry,” Varga says in the prepared testimony. Varga adds that the entire medical team was “devastated” when the 42-year-old Duncan died on Oct. 8. When the Liberian native went to the hospital complaining of symptoms, he initially was sent home, resulting in a delay of treatment. Since then, two of the nurses who cared for him, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, have tested positive for the disease and are being treated for it. Varga says in his statement that, “We are poring over records and observations, and doing all we can to find the answers.” Varga’s statement indicates he will not appear before the subcommittee in person.