1 Year Later, Ebola Doctor Returns To Bellevue Hospital, Giving Thanks

NEW YORK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- An emergency room doctor who became the first Ebola patient in New York City reunited with the hospital staff who cared for him almost a year ago.

Dr. Craig Spencer was diagnosed on Oct. 23, 2014, shortly after spending time treating Ebola patients in Guinea. Spencer spent 19 days at Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated and successfully recovered from the disease.

On Tuesday, Spencer thanked doctors and nurses who treated him while he was in isolation at Bellevue's Infectious Diseases Unit.

FULL COVERAGE: Ebola Outbreak 2014

A comination of antiviral and experimental treatments, along with blood transfusions from Ebola survivor Nancy Writebol were used to treat Specner, CBS2 reported when the doctor was released last year.

During last year's epidemic, Ebola infected more than 14,000 people in West Africa and killed more than 5,000.

In July, Bellevue was designated a National Ebola Education and Training Center in partnership with Emory University in Atlanta.

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