Dallas faced an unprecedented public health scare in the fall of 2014 when a Liberian national was diagnosed with the Ebola virus. KERA is exploring lessons learned – and taking a deeper look at what happened last year – in a new series called Surviving Ebola. The special program will air this afternoon at 2 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.
Explore the KERA digital project here. There’s a timeline of Ebola-related events, voices of those most affected by the virus, and much more.
A year ago, reporters and photographers were camped outside the Ivy Apartments in Northeast Dallas. Thomas Eric Duncan, a Liberian national, was staying there before he was diagnosed with Ebola.
The apartment complex is in Vickery Meadow, a diverse neighborhood that’s home to thousands of immigrants from around the world.
Today, the Ivy Apartments is a much quieter. On a recent afternoon, kids ride their bikes and play in the parking lot.
The second-story apartment where Thomas Eric Duncan visited his fiancée last year is empty. Neighbors say it hasn’t been rented out since.
For them, life has moved on.