The Cuban doctor who contracted Ebola while treating patients in West Africa is slowly recovering, though the Swiss hospital that is treating him said on Friday that he is still weak. Felix Baez was working in Sierra Leone up until one week ago when he was transferred to the University Hospitals of Geneva.

Baez has regained his appetite while staying at HUG, and his caretakers released an update on his health.

"Today, Dr. Felix Baez is still weak and is recovering gradually," the statement read. "He is eating normally and his general condition is improving every day. He is in daily contact with his family."

The 43-year-old man is one of 256 Cuban doctors and nurses who have been working in affected areas of Africa treating patients of the epidemic, which has killed more than 5,600 people since March. Most of the doctors were sent on six-month missions to Sierra Leone, and about 50 were sent to Liberia and 38 went to Guinea.

On Tuesday, the hospital said there was a significant decrease in the amount of the virus seen in his blood. Cuban officials reported that his fever was reduced before he even left Freetown to travel to Geneva on Nov. 20, but he still had no appetite.

Five specialists, who are employing strict safety protocols, have been treating Baez in a special room in an isolated area of the hospital.

Cuba's commitment to treat sick people, mostly in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, has garnered international praise. Baez is the first Cuban known to have contracted Ebola in this outbreak, which has had roughly 16,000 cases reported.

Cuba has been one of the prominent countries in terms of offering relief to West African countries. According to The Guardian, Cuba also sent a large medical team to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, where it treated about 40 percent of the people affected.

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