US doctor infected with Ebola strain discharged from Berlin hospital

A U.S. doctor, who was being treated for Ebola at Berlin's Charité hospital after contracting the rare Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been released. After more than two weeks of intensive care, the hospital announced on Saturday that the physician is in good health and no longer carries detectable levels of the virus.

The doctor was admitted to Charité on May 20. Medical tests confirmed the presence of the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola for which there is neither a vaccine nor a specific therapy. His wife and four children were brought to Berlin shortly after his admission. They were classified as high-risk contacts but showed no symptoms and were kept in quarantine in a separate part of the ward.

According to the clinic, the patient was initially very weak and exhibited typical Ebola symptoms with a high viral load. Through a combination of experimental antiviral therapies and supportive medical measures, his condition gradually improved. He expressed deep gratitude to the Charité team for their "first-class care" and acknowledged the experimental treatments he received. He also extended his thoughts to the people in Congo who lack access to such advanced medical care.

The patient was transported to Berlin via special aircraft from Uganda and treated in a specialized isolation unit at the Virchow Klinikum campus. This unit is a secure, closed facility separate from regular hospital operations, ensuring no contact with other patients. German health authorities assured the public that there was no risk to the general population or other hospital patients. The isolation order was officially lifted on Saturday afternoon after the health department confirmed no virus had been detected for over two weeks.

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I received first-class care, including experimental therapies that are currently being tested for the treatment of this type of virus. My gratitude cannot be adequately described in words. (...) Our thoughts are also with the people in Congo who do not have the opportunity to receive such care.