Delhi’s patient zero narrates how he dealt with COVID-19 social stigma attached to his name
NEW DELHI: It has been almost four months since Rohit Dutta overcame the dreaded coronavirus.
The 45-year-old, who lives in Mayur Vihar II, holds the dubious tag of being the national capital’s coronavirus patient zero. While each passing day makes that period of time seem like a distant memory, the social stigma attached to his name lives on to this very day.
“Stigma is a part of life; it depends upon how you receive it. People upon meeting me say things like, ‘Rohit, you have spoiled the Indian economy’ and ‘tune toh humse dushmani nikal li (you have taken revenge on us)’… but most say it with a hint of satire. It doesn’t sound like I’m being discriminated against deliberately or being targeted for testing positive.”
“I smile back and say ‘tere se dushmani thi isiliye aisa kiya (you were my enemy and that’s why I did it…” said Dutta giving way to a hearty laugh.
“One has to take the right approach. There was obviously a lot of stigma during my time. But it is nobody’s fault. Nobody knows how one is going to get infected. Initially, nothing was clear, now people at least know what to do…there’s much more knowledge out there now,” he added.
Dutta had travelled back from Italy on February 22. He interacted with several people before being diagnosed with COVID-19. He was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on March 2 and was subsequently discharged on March 15 from Safdarjung Hospital.
“My priority was that my family and friends whom I had met should not test positive. My brain had stopped working… I couldn’t process anything. After they tested negative, I felt much more relieved. At that time, we had very limited knowledge about the symptoms or what medication to have,” he mentioned.
Life for Dutta post-discharge from the hospital has been similar to that of any other resident stuck inside their home during the lockdown phase.
“I think in times of distress people incline more towards the almighty. They tend to become even more religious... and so have I,” he stated. Dutta recollected his stay at the government-run Safdarjung Hospital and added that his perception towards government facilities has changed since.
“It was a new block and no other patient was there, so the set-up was really good. It was much easier for doctors to look after me. The Union Health Minister would personally inquire about my health,” said Dutta.
As cases in Delhi continue to increase, Dutta said that it is now more important than ever to exercise the necessary precautions to avoid getting infected. He also urged everyone to wear masks and practice social distancing to break the chain of the virus.
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