Thrissur: India's first novel COVID-19 patient is back leading normal life after having fully recovered from the disease.
The woman, a medical student at the Wuhan University in China, tested positive for the virus after returning to her native place in Kerala’s Thrissur in January. She was quarantined for three weeks at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital. After making a full recovery, the woman is now able to freely roam the streets and interact with her dear and near ones.
“I’m very happy that no one contracted the virus from me,” she said.
The woman reached Kerala on January 24. When she came down with cold and fever, she informed the health department. She was taken in an ambulance and admitted to the isolation ward on January 27. Some days later the test results arrived - she had contracted the Coronavirus.
She spent the next three weeks at the isolation ward of the Thrissur Medical College Hospital. Even during this while, she was aware that the fatality numbers from Wuhan were rising. But the awareness of a medical student and the confidence in Kerala's health system helped her face an unprecedented situation without losing courage.
Post surviving the ordeal, the woman says she has gained the courage to face any challenge thrown by life.
“And that’s what Kerala needs today,” the woman told Manorama over the phone.
Though the first three positive cases were successfully cured in Kerala, fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported from the state recently, prompting the government to impose a major clampdown.
Tips from the COVID-19 survivor
• If you have returned from abroad and have interacted with those suspected to have the infection, inform the health department. Do not feel ashamed or scared.
• Even if you don't have any symptoms after returning from abroad, stay indoors for 14 days without interacting with anyone. If the symptoms surface, inform the health department.
• Follow the guidelines issued by the government strictly. Even if you do not have any symptoms, you may have to be quarantined. The aim is to ensure the welfare of both you and others.
The woman has to return to China to write her exam in the last week of June. There is an online class conducted by Wuhan University. Another student of this online class is a fellow Keralite - a girl from Alappuzha, who also survived the Coronavirus infection.
