Two American missionaries who were sickened with the
dangerous Ebola virus while working in Liberia are doing better and have been
released from an Atlanta hospital, doctors said Thursday.
Doctor Kent Brantly, 33, and Nancy Writebol, 60, both Christian
aid workers, were infected with Ebola in Monrovia last month as the largest
outbreak in history swept West Africa.
They were airlifted to Emory University Hospital for
treatment three weeks ago.
“The discharge from the hospital of both these patients
poses no public health threat,” said Bruce Ribner, director of Emory’s
Infectious Disease Unit.
“This is a fairly devastating disease, but we would
anticipate that in general most patients, if they have not had any substantial
organ damage, will make a complete recovery.”
Writebol was released on August 19, and did not appear at a
press conference with Brantly.
Her release was not announced earlier this week
because she had requested privacy and did not want details of her medical
condition to be made public, doctors saidDoctor Kent Brantly
“I am thrilled to be alive, to be well and to be reunited
with my family,” Brantly said, looking thin but otherwise healthy as he smiled
and held hands with his wife.
“I am incredibly thankful to all of those who were involved
in my care, from the first day of my illness all the way up to today — the day
of my release from Emory.”
Franklin Graham, the president of the Christian missionary
group for which Brantly worked in Liberia, Samaritan’s Purse, hailed the
doctor’s “courageous spirit” as he battled the virus.
- No drug, no cure -
The current outbreak of Ebola virus has killed 1,350 people
and sickened more than 2,400 since March in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Nigeria.
The is no drug or vaccine for Ebola, which can cause fever,
vomiting, diarrhea and fatal organ failure and system-wide hemorrhage.
It is transmitted by close contact with bodily fluids,
putting healthcare workers, loved ones and those who kiss or touch bodies
during funeral rites at particular risk.
Both American patients were given an experimental treatment
called ZMapp, which is made in tobacco leaves and contains a cocktail of
antibodies.
However, the drug is in short supply and doctors have
stressed they have no way of knowing if it helped the patients recover or not.
In addition, Brantly received a blood transfusion in Liberia
from a boy who had recovered from Ebola virus.
Ribner said the effects of that treatment are also unclear.
- Time away -
Brantly said he had no inkling that he would be dealing with
Ebola when he first went to Liberia in October with his family.
Pm
“In March, when we got word that Ebola was in Guinea and had
spread to Liberia, we began preparing for the worst,” he told reporters.
“We didn’t receive our first Ebola patient until June, but
when she arrived, we were ready. During the course of June and July, the number
of Ebola patients increased steadily.”
Brantly fell ill on July 23, and his diagnosis with Ebola
was confirmed on July 26, he said.
He said he now plans to retreat from the public eye to spend
some time with his family.
“After I have recovered a little more and regained some of my
strength, we will look forward to sharing more of our story; but for now, we
need some time together after more than a month apart,” he said.
He cited his faith and God and prayers from supporters as
key to his recovery.
“I am forever thankful to God for sparing my life and am
glad for any attention my sickness has attracted to the plight of West Africa
in the midst of this epidemic,” Brantly said.
“Please continue to pray for Liberia and the people of West
Africa, and encourage those in positions of leadership and influence to do
everything possible to bring this Ebola outbreak to an end.”
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