Ebola-infected NBC cameraman improves, tweets 'endless gratitude for the good vibes'
Dr. Nancy Snyderman apologizes for violating quarantine
The NBC News freelance cameraman being treated for Ebola in a Nebraska hospital after contracting the virus in Liberia appears to be recovering.
"Back on Twitter, feeling like I'm on the road to good health," Ashoka Mukpo tweeted Monday. "Will be posting some thoughts this week. Endless gratitude for the good vibes."
Back on twitter, feeling like I'm on the road to good health. Will be posting some thoughts this week. Endless gratitude for the good vibes.
— ashoka (@unkyoka) October 13, 2014
Mukpo, a photojournalist working in the West African country, was hired to be a second cameraman for NBC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Mukpo tested positive for Ebola two days later and was flown back to the United States for treatment at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he received a blood transfusion from Ebola survivor Kent Brantly.
Besides sharing his gratitude for being alive, the 33-year-old Rhode Island native also expressed frustration over the ongoing Ebola crisis in West Africa, where more than 4,447 have died from 8,914 reported cases, a number the World Health Organization expects to rise above 9,000 this week.
"Now that I've had first hand [experience] with this scourge of a disease, I'm even more pained at how little care sick west Africans are receiving," Mukpo wrote.
Now that I've had first hand exp with this scourge of a disease, I'm even more pained at how little care sick west Africans are receiving
— ashoka (@unkyoka) October 13, 2014
Meanwhile, Snyderman, whose team agreed to a 21-day self-quarantine after returning from West Africa, issued an apology Monday for violating its agreement.
"While under voluntary quarantine guidelines, which called for our team to avoid public contact for 21 days, members of our group violated those guidelines," Snyderman said in a statement. "As a health professional I know that we have no symptoms and pose no risk to the public, but I am deeply sorry for the concerns this episode caused.
"We are thrilled that Ashoka is getting better and our thoughts continue to be with the thousands affected by Ebola whose stories we all went to cover," Snyderman added.
It's unclear which team members broke the quarantine. Last week, New Jersey health officials issued a mandatory quarantine order after Snyderman was spotted inside her car outside of a restaurant in Hopewell, N.J., while someone from her car picked up takeout.
