American Ebola patient released from Berlin hospital after successful treatment

An American citizen, who contracted the Ebola virus while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been discharged from Berlin's Charité University Hospital after completing a 17-day antiviral treatment.

The surgeon, who was working for a Christian mission organization in the DRC, and five family members who were quarantined at the hospital, are reported to be in good health. The hospital confirmed they have been cleared to leave.

This recovery comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that nearly 500 cases of Ebola have been confirmed across central African nations. The DRC has recorded 452 confirmed cases, including 82 deaths, while neighboring Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases and two deaths.

The WHO noted a significant increase in cases and deaths compared to the previous day, with the epidemic declared a global health emergency. Concerns are rising that this outbreak could become the largest recorded epidemic of Ebola.