"I am fortunate to get a new lease of life," said a 23-year-old student who has contracted COVID-19 while returning from London last month.
He is the first patient to recover from novel coronavirus in Ongole, where 37 other patients are being treated now, with a team of health professionals including 20 doctors and 30 nurses taking care of him 24x7 for 16 days.
"I will come back again to thank you all when life comes back to normal," he said while profusely thanking the doctors, nurses and sanitary workers who treated him at the Government General Hospital which has been fully equipped to provide high-end treatment to patients.
"The patient was fully cooperative. He maintained his composure and strictly followed the medical regimen, including a nutritious diet provided in the hospital," said COVID-19 nodal officer John Richards, under whose observation he continues at his home for 12 more days. Counselling by a psychologist was part of treatment as most patients go into depression on contracting the disease.
No symptoms initially
The patient, who pursued MS from Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom, on returning from Delhi to Hyderabad on March 11 by a flight had no symptoms of the disease initially. But he suffered from high temperature, dry cough, sore throat and body pains on reaching Ongole on March 14 from Hyderabad by a state-owned bus, explained GGH Superintendent D. Sriramulu.
Even before his admission into the hospital, he was using a mask and sanitiser. He was following cough etiquette and washing his hands with soap at periodic intervals and remained isolated. This is the reason his father, mother and sister didn’t get infected, Dr. Sriramulu said in a conversation with The Hindu.
All things used for the patient were disposable ones. The room he was staying was sanitised twice a day by a group of 20 sanitary workers round the clock.
‘No need for panic’
Except for those having co-morbidity conditions, the recovery would be fast in other patients, Dr. Sriramulu said. Facilities had been created in Ongole to treat about 1,000 patients at a time, added Dr. Richards.
