KALABURAGI: "My wife and I who underwent isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, have completed treatment and home quarantine 10 days ago and we enjoy good health," said the 63-year-old retired medical officer, who is the first doctor in the country to get COVID-19. He was also the doctor who treated the first COVID-19 deceased in the country.
Speaking with Express on Sunday, the elderly doctor said that P-06 who died on March 10 in Kalaburagi due to coronavirus came to the city from Saudi on February 28 but was diagnosed on March 2. He added that as per the call by the family members of P-06, he attended to the patient on March 6.
When he checked the health of the patient, he was suffering from mild flu and cough.
"I gave him necessary medicines but as there was no recovery on the next day and fever become high, I advised the family members to take the patient for check-up in a hospital," he said.
"I was shocked and worried when I came to know that P-06 has died on March 10 (exactly 2 months from today) as I knew him well and treated him many times. Later on, March 12 it was confirmed that he died due to COVID-19," he added.
The COVID-19 survivor said that he was told by the district administration after 3 days that he too has tested positive for COVID-19 and that he would have to live in the isolation ward of ESIC hospital for 14 days. I obliged as it was good for me as well as for the society, he added.
"The doctors who attended to me in the designated ESIC hospital gave me oral medicine and I continued some other medicines which I used to take due to hyper tension regularly," he shared.
He said that there were no major symptoms of COVID-19 and that he spent his isolation normally in ESIC hospital.
"I have to thank doctors and staff of ESIC hospital as they treated me extremely well and provided good quality food," he lauded.
When he was about to be discharged from isolation ward, he came to know that his wife also tested positive for the virus. Now, she has also been discharged a fortnight ago and they are both hale and healthy.
In his message to people who are afraid of COVID-19, the COVID-19 cured doctor said that there is nothing to worry about coronavirus. Everybody should maintain social distance and wear masks as a precautionary measure and if anybody feels they have symptoms of coronavirus, they should not try to hide it.
COVID-19 would not only affect them seriously but could also spread to their friends and family. Such persons should get their throat swab taken and get necessary treatment. Getting the virus is not a sin, it is a disease, and it should be treated, he said.