The first Briton known to have caught the Ebola virus has been discharged from hospital.

William Pooley, who received treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, was released earlier today. He was treated for ten days in the hospital’s high level isolation unit, which is the only one in the UK.

Mr Pooley said: “I want to say a huge thank you to the Royal Free Hospital – I’ve been given world class care.

“I was very lucky in several ways. The standard of care I received was a world apart from what people are getting in West Africa, despite the best efforts of the healthcare workers out there.

“I've got nothing but praise for the level of care, skill, compassion and kindness I've received here. It's been amazing.”

Mr Pooley contracted the virus while volunteering as a nurse in Sierra Leone. 

His care was led by Dr Michael Jacobs, an infectious diseases consultant at the Royal Free.

Dr Jacobs said: “Everyone in the team has worked exhaustively to care for Will and I am extremely proud of my colleagues at the hospital.”