American doctor, Brantly, recovers from Ebola

Doctor Kent Brantly, the American doctor who contracted Ebola while working in Liberia for a charity helping to save victims, has been released from hospital.

According to the charity, Samaritan’s Purse, Brantly was released after receiving treatment with experimental drug, ZMapp.

President of Samaritan’s Purse, Franklin Graham, released a statement celebrating the doctor’s discharge from hospital and calling for prayers for those still afflicted in the rest of West Africa.

“Today I join all of our Samaritan’s Purse team around the world in giving thanks to God as we celebrate Dr. Kent Brantly’s recovery from Ebola and release from the hospital”, he said.

“I know that Dr. Brantly and his wonderful family would ask that you please remember and pray for those in Africa battling, treating and suffering from Ebola. Those who have given up the comforts of home to serve the suffering and the less fortunate are in many ways just beginning this battle.

“We have more than 350 staff in Liberia, and others will soon be joining them, so please pray for those who have served with Dr. Brantly – along with the other doctors, aid workers and organisations that are at this very moment desperately trying to stop Ebola from taking any more lives.”

The Texas doctor was flown out of Liberia to Atlanta, under the care of infectious disease specialists at Emory University Hospital.

Hopes of his recovery went high days after, as he wrote to say he was growing stronger every day.

“I am writing this update from my isolation room,” Brantly said in his first public statement since contracting Ebola.

“I am growing stronger every day, and I thank God for his mercy as I have wrestled with this terrible disease.”