Thomas Eric Duncan, the first individual to test positive for the Ebola virus in the U.S., has finally received the experimental drug, but only after a week since his hospital admission, which took longer compared with the other Ebola patients brought in the country for treatment.

The four other patients who tested positive for Ebola were admitted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The patients were given the experimental medicine immediately after they were taken to the hospitals.

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Those four patents are American citizens, while Duncan who is in his mid-40's, is a citizen of Monrovia, Liberia.

During a news conference late Tuesday, Josephus Weeks, Duncan's nephew, said his uncle was not immediately given the experimental drug because he wasn't an American citizen.

"They don't think he's important," he said.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, the appointed spokesman of the Duncan family, was also present during the press conference. The reverend said Duncan's family and friends were concerned why it took a long time before he was given the treatment.

Jackson pointed out that money may have been an issue during Duncan's treatment. He criticized the people in-charge of Duncan's care for not prioritizing the patient because he was not insured compared to those with medical insurance.

However, a spokeswoman of the hospital issued a statement that said Duncan was receiving the same attention as any other patient, regardless of paying ability or nationality.

The statement said that the hospital has had a long history of treating multi-racial people.

The other hospitals where the other Ebola patients were admitted, were given prior notice before the patients were taken in.

In Duncan's case, he went to the emergency room of the hospital on Sept. 25 and was sent home after a few hours, because the hospital staff were not aware that it was an Ebola case.

On Sept. 28, Duncan was admitted, after the hospital realized he had the virus.

The experimental drug, brincidofovir, was given to Duncan on Oct 4.

TagsThomas Eric Duncan, Ebola Virus