US Ebola patient Dr Kent Brantly 'thrilled to be alive'

[webfact]

US Ebola patient Kent Brantly 'thrilled to be alive'

(BBC) One of the US aid workers who recovered from an Ebola infection is "thrilled to be alive" as he and another patient are discharged from hospital.

Dr Kent Brantly, 33, thanked supporters for their prayers at a news conference in Atlanta. Nancy Writebol, 59, was discharged on Tuesday.

The two were brought to the US for treatment three weeks ago.

The outbreak has killed more than 1,300 people in West Africa, with many of the deaths occurring in Liberia.

'Not on radar'

"Today is a miraculous day," said Dr Brantly, who appeared healthy if pallid as he addressed reporters on Thursday at Emory University hospital.

"I am thrilled to be alive, to be well, and to be reunited with my family. As a medical missionary, I never imagined myself in this position."

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28885753


-- BBC 2014-08-22

[neverdie]

Good for him.

Just shows you how lucky members of first world nations can be.

RIP to all the other victims of Ebola.

[overherebc]

Good to hear the guys ok.

Not so good to hear that BBC news this morning are reporting a suspected case in Ireland, a guy who has just come back from Africa.

[kamahele]

Miracles do happen thanks to modern science

[webfact]

Two American Ebola Patients Discharged from Emory University Hospital
By Emory Healthcare


Kent Brantly

ATLANTA: -- In an effort to keep our community informed on the status of the Ebola patients being treated at Emory University Hospital, today we confirm that as of this afternoon, both Ebola patients have been discharged from our Infectious Disease Unit at the hospital.

Nancy Writebol was discharged from the Emory University Hospital on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2014, and Kent Brantly, MD, was discharged today, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014.

“After a rigorous and successful course of treatment and testing, the Emory Healthcare team has determined that both patients have recovered from the Ebola virus and can return to their families and community without concern for spreading this infection to others,” says Bruce Ribner, MD, medical director of the Emory University Hospital Communicable Disease Containment Unit.

Criteria for the discharge of both patients were based on standard infectious disease protocols and blood and urine diagnostic tests. Our team has maintained its extensive safety procedures throughout this treatment process and is confident that the discharge of these patients poses no public health threat.

“The Emory Healthcare team is extremely pleased with Dr. Brantly’s and Mrs. Writebol’s recovery, and was inspired by their spirit and strength, as well as by the steadfast support of their families,” says Ribner.

The mission of Emory University Hospital is to heal and to advance knowledge. The team of health care professionals who cared for these Ebola patients has trained for years to treat and contain the most dangerous infectious diseases in the world. The experience, understanding and learning that Emory’s medical professionals have gained during this process will be applied, not only to Ebola, but to other emergent diseases that the world may confront in the future.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1408639779


-- Khaosod English 2014-08-22

[khwaibah]

[boomerangutang]

I know what it feels like: 18 months ago, I had a 6 meter fall through a roof on to a cement floor. Almost died. After getting out of the hospital, while being drive home, I smiled and waved to everyone along the route.

[Credo]

I know what it feels like: 18 months ago, I had a 6 meter fall through a roof on to a cement floor. Almost died. After getting out of the hospital, while being drive home, I smiled and waved to everyone along the route.

And most of those people probably thought, 'Oh, my goodness, they've let another one out of the mental hospital.'

Congratulations on surviving the fall. I had something similar when I fell off the very peak of my roof some years back, went though a plastic overhang and landed flat on the concrete. It knocked the wind out of me for a couple of seconds and I had a scratch on my elbow, but that was it.

As for Ebola, it seems that the recovery time is really, really a long one.

[timmyp]

I wonder if the guy has suffered organ damage.

One of the nasty things about Ebola is that it wrecks the organs, right? So some fear that experimental treatments can't save the patients even if the treatment helps the patient beat virus.

[rickirs]

With a 95%+ mortality rate, being infected with ebola is a fast track to a horrible death. And being a doctor who treats ebola Brantly knew better than anyone his chances of surviving more than a month. Three cheers to American medical technology and the host of worldwide researches contributing to the body of knowledge that led to Brantly's survival. I hope Brantly feels revitalized to continue persuing his selfless dedication to treating African victims.

[Scott]

I would assume that there is going to have to be a pool of survivors that actually live in order to see what damage the virus does or doesn't do to organs.

[Mudcrab]

I would assume that there is going to have to be a pool of survivors that actually live in order to see what damage the virus does or doesn't do to organs.

Or pool of carriers that have become resistant. Or a virus mutation due to the treatment in the first place. Both scary possibilities

[tw25rw]

I wonder if the guy has suffered organ damage.

One of the nasty things about Ebola is that it wrecks the organs, right? So some fear that experimental treatments can't save the patients even if the treatment helps the patient beat virus.

His brain if he things his god saved him and not the many doctors/nurses/scientists/lab animals etc etc that made it possible.

[timmyp]

I wonder if the guy has suffered organ damage.

One of the nasty things about Ebola is that it wrecks the organs, right? So some fear that experimental treatments can't save the patients even if the treatment helps the patient beat virus.

His brain if he things his god saved him and not the many doctors/nurses/scientists/lab animals etc etc that made it possible.

I want to like your post more, but I can only click "Like" one time.

I wasn't afraid of Ebola before, but if it does that to your brain, I'm absolutely terrified now.

[MJP]

Briton in Sierra Leone 'tests positive for Ebola'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28914614