US Ebola victim Dr. Kent Brantly speaks out for the first time

 Dr. Kent Brantly, one of the two US doctors flown from Liberia to Emory University Hospital for treatment after contracting the Ebola virus in Liberia, has spoken out for the first time. He released a statement from his isolation room in Atlanta where he's being treated. On Friday, the 33-year-old has released his first statement since arriving in Atlanta for treatment last Saturday (He is the first Ebola patient to receive experimental serum, ZMapp). Read his statement below.

"I am writing this update from my isolation room at Emory University Hospital, where the doctors and nurses are providing the very best care possible," he says. "I am growing stronger every day, and I thank God for His mercy as I have wrestled with this terrible disease." Continue...

Brantly adds: "My wife Amber and I, along with our two children, did not move to Liberia for the specific purpose of fighting Ebola. We went to Liberia because we believe God called us to serve Him at ELWA Hospital."

"One thing I have learned is that following God often leads us to unexpected places. When Ebola spread into Liberia, my usual hospital work turned more and more toward treating the increasing number of Ebola patients. I held the hands of countless individuals as this terrible disease took their lives away from them. I witnessed the horror firsthand, and I can still remember every face and name."

"When I started feeling ill on that Wednesday morning, I immediately isolated myself until the test confirmed my diagnosis three days later. When the result was positive, I remember a deep sense of peace that was beyond all understanding. God was reminding me of what He had taught me years ago, that He will give me everything I need to be faithful to Him. "

He concludes: "Now it is two weeks later, and I am in a totally different setting. My focus, however, remains the same–to follow God. As you continue to pray for Nancy and me, yes, please pray for our recovery. More importantly, pray that we would be faithful to God's call on our lives in these new circumstances."

A man at New York's Mt. Sinai Hospital was recently isolated after presenting Ebola-like symptoms, but his test results came back negative on Wednesday.