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British Ebola patient discharged | British Ebola patient discharged |
(about 11 hours later) | |
The first British person to contract Ebola during the outbreak in West Africa has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery. | The first British person to contract Ebola during the outbreak in West Africa has been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery. |
William Pooley, 29, has been treated in a special isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. | William Pooley, 29, has been treated in a special isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. |
Mr Pooley was given the experimental drug ZMapp and has praised the "world class" care at the hospital. | Mr Pooley was given the experimental drug ZMapp and has praised the "world class" care at the hospital. |
About half of the 3,000 people infected in the outbreak, which started in Guinea, have died. | About half of the 3,000 people infected in the outbreak, which started in Guinea, have died. |
The pace of the outbreak has been accelerating with more than 40% of cases in the past three weeks. | The pace of the outbreak has been accelerating with more than 40% of cases in the past three weeks. |
Mr Pooley was working as a volunteer nurse in one of the worst affected countries, Sierra Leone, when he contracted the virus. | Mr Pooley was working as a volunteer nurse in one of the worst affected countries, Sierra Leone, when he contracted the virus. |
He is unsure when he became infected, but started feeling sick and needed a blood test. | He is unsure when he became infected, but started feeling sick and needed a blood test. |
He recalled the moment his fears were confirmed: "I was woken early that evening by one of the World Health Organization doctors and immediately I knew it was bad news. | He recalled the moment his fears were confirmed: "I was woken early that evening by one of the World Health Organization doctors and immediately I knew it was bad news. |
"I was worried that I was going to die, I was worried about my family and I was scared." | "I was worried that I was going to die, I was worried about my family and I was scared." |
'Very lucky' | 'Very lucky' |
He was flown back to the UK by the RAF on Sunday 24 August. | He was flown back to the UK by the RAF on Sunday 24 August. |
Mr Pooley was in the earlier stages of the disease. He had a high temperature but was not bleeding. | Mr Pooley was in the earlier stages of the disease. He had a high temperature but was not bleeding. |
He said: "I was very lucky in several ways; firstly in the standard of care I received, which is a world apart from what people are receiving in West Africa at the moment. | He said: "I was very lucky in several ways; firstly in the standard of care I received, which is a world apart from what people are receiving in West Africa at the moment. |
"And my symptoms never progressed to the worst stage of the disease, I've seen people dying horrible deaths, I had some unpleasant symptoms, but nothing compared to the worst of the disease." | "And my symptoms never progressed to the worst stage of the disease, I've seen people dying horrible deaths, I had some unpleasant symptoms, but nothing compared to the worst of the disease." |
He was treated with the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp, a 12-hour infusion of antibodies, that has been given to only six other patients. | He was treated with the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp, a 12-hour infusion of antibodies, that has been given to only six other patients. |
It is not clear if the infusion helped, but levels of the virus in his bloodstream did fall significantly after the treatment. | It is not clear if the infusion helped, but levels of the virus in his bloodstream did fall significantly after the treatment. |
Dr Michael Jacobs, an infectious diseases consultant at the hospital, said: "He is not infectious to anyone else now. The virus is cleared from the body, and there is no risk to the wider community in any way." | Dr Michael Jacobs, an infectious diseases consultant at the hospital, said: "He is not infectious to anyone else now. The virus is cleared from the body, and there is no risk to the wider community in any way." |
He said the isolation unit Mr Pooley had been kept in was going through chemical decontamination. | He said the isolation unit Mr Pooley had been kept in was going through chemical decontamination. |
"This unit is always there, it's business-as-usual for us, we were prepared for this to happen and we're prepared if it happens again." | "This unit is always there, it's business-as-usual for us, we were prepared for this to happen and we're prepared if it happens again." |
Heroes | Heroes |
The global response to the disease has been "lethally inadequate", according to the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. | The global response to the disease has been "lethally inadequate", according to the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. |
Estimates suggest up to 20,000 people will be infected during this outbreak. | Estimates suggest up to 20,000 people will be infected during this outbreak. |
Overall, 51% of those infected have died - ranging from 41% in Sierra Leone to 66% in Guinea. | |
Mr Pooley praised the efforts of other people working on the ground. | Mr Pooley praised the efforts of other people working on the ground. |
"It's just heroic what they're doing, they know what might be facing them," he said. | "It's just heroic what they're doing, they know what might be facing them," he said. |
"In the face of quite likely a horrible death, they're continuing to work all day, every day helping sick people, it's amazing." | "In the face of quite likely a horrible death, they're continuing to work all day, every day helping sick people, it's amazing." |
He said it had felt "natural" to go and help in West Africa, that he had no regrets and was "more committed than ever to nursing". | He said it had felt "natural" to go and help in West Africa, that he had no regrets and was "more committed than ever to nursing". |
Mr Pooley is heading back to Eyke in Suffolk with his family this afternoon. | Mr Pooley is heading back to Eyke in Suffolk with his family this afternoon. |
"They incinerated my passport, so my mum will be pleased to know I can't go anywhere," he added. | "They incinerated my passport, so my mum will be pleased to know I can't go anywhere," he added. |
Ebola virus disease (EVD) | Ebola virus disease (EVD) |
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