“Today is a miraculous day. I’m thrilled to be alive.” Two American doctors have been cured of the Ebola virus have been released from an Atlanta hospital. They contracted the disease while working as health aids in West Africa and were transported to America to be treated.
Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol were admitted into a specialized isolation ward at Emory University and discharged after two weeks of strenuous treatment. When the news broke about the American doctors having the disease, it caused fear and many debated whether they should be allowed to return.
“I am forever thankful to God for sparing my life, and I’m glad for any attention my sickness has attracted to the plight of West Africa in the midst of this epidemic,” said Dr. Brantly while at a press conference with his wife by his side.
Related: New Cases of Ebola Feared In USA And GermanyThroughout his heart filled speech, he addressed the experimental drug that may have saved his and Nancy Writebol‘s life- Zmapp, a drug produced by American company Mapp Bio-pharmaceutical. “He can return to his family, his community and to his life without public health concerns,” said the of Emory’s Infectious Disease Unit.
Nancy Writebol had quietly been released on Tuesday and did not show for reporters but per Dr. Brantly, released a statement. “Nancy is free of the virus, but the lingering effects of the battle have left her in a significantly weakened condition,” her husband wrote. “Thus, we decided it would be best to leave the hospital privately to be able to give her the rest and recuperation she needs at this time.”
Despite what people feared, workers at Emory claimed that they “always suspected that we had a good chance of helping these patients survive” and still back that the risk of contracting the disease is low.