The first SARS patient on the Chinese mainland since July confirmed Thursday in a mobile phone message to Xinhua that he had left hospital after fully recovering, but was reluctant to meet reporters.

“I’ve left the hospital,” the 32-year-old freelance TV worker surnamed Luo wrote at 1:45 p.m., saying he just wanted to return to normal life.

About 30 reporters from the domestic and overseas media gathered at the gate of the Guangzhou No. 8 People’s Hospital, where Luo was treated, hoping to catch a glimpse of him being discharged.

In a written statement to the media, Luo said his experiences proved SARS was “not to be feared,” and Chinese hospitals could effectively treat the disease.

While commenting on his recovery from the disease, Luo said “the whole incident should come to an end and my identity and other personal details are not important any more.”

Luo had complained of headaches, fever and a cough Dec. 16 and was admitted to an isolation room at the No. 1 Hospital of the Zhongshan University on Dec. 20. He was transferred to the No. 8 People’s Hospital on Dec. 24, where he maintained a normal temperature.

Luo was confirmed as a SARS patient Monday, but his condition improved daily with conventional treatment, including antibiotics and support treatment to prevent complications. He was treated by a team of about 20 medical workers at the No. 8 People’s Hospital.

“It was quite a shock to realize that I might have contracted SARS, when I was sent to the isolation ward,” Luo said during a previous interview with Xinhua.

All 81 people Luo had had contact with, including 42 close contacts, had not shown any symptoms of the disease and the last was expected to be discharged from isolation Thursday, after a two-week quarantine.

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