US doctor now 'completely recovered' from Ebola

Dr Kent Brantly is being released from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta today.

In a statement, the Samaritan's Purse charity for which he worked said he had "completed his recovery from the deadly virus".

"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," Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said.

"Over the past few weeks I have marveled at Dr Brantly’s courageous spirit as he has fought this horrible virus with the help of the highly competent and caring staff at Emory University Hospital.

"His faithfulness to God and compassion for the people of Africa have been an example to us all."

Dr Brantley's wife and two children had been living with him in Liberia but flew home to the US before he started showing any signs of illness. Recognising the symptoms in himself after months spent treating those stricken with the disease, he placed himself in isolation and was subsequently

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Nancy Writebol, the missionary who also contracted Ebola in Liberia, continues to recover in the isolation unit.

The Ebola virus causes initial flu-like symptoms followed by internal bleeding and has a mortality rate of 60% to 90% in most situations. The current outbreak of Ebola has claimed more than 1,350 lives in the west African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

An experimental treatment made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical of San Diego, with funding from the US government, which was given to the two aid workers, is aimed at boosting the immune system’s efforts to fight off the virus.

It is made from antibodies produced by lab animals exposed to parts of the Ebola virus.

It is unclear whether the experimental treatment played a part in Dr Brantly's recover or in a recent improvement in Ms Writebol's condition.