Delhi's first Covid-19 patient, who has now recovered from the fatal disease, has said that people should not worry about contracting the novel coronavirus, officially known as SARS-CoV-2. Terming Covid-19 as a "normal flu", he said that India's healthcare system is well-equipped to deal with the pandemic.
Sharing his experience to spread awareness among the general public, the 45-year-old said, "There is no need for people to get scared. It is just like the normal flu. If a healthy person gets infected, he/she will most probably recover. Our health system is one of the bests in the world."
"Also, people should not fear an isolation ward. It is not like a two-by-two cell without sunlight. It is more like a one-bedroom suite and the officials follow proper hygiene guidelines," he added.
The man, an exporter by profession, tested positive for Covid-19 on March 1 and was discharged from the hospital on March 15. However, the doctors have advised him to stay at home for the next 14 days.
About his stay in the isolation ward
He praised the Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare for making first-rate arrangements for the Covid-19 patients in India. "I was at an isolation ward at the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi that the Indian government has specifically created for Covid-19 patients. The facilities were very good, it was among the best I have seen, even including private hospitals. I had a private room with a bathroom," he said.
He also shared that the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan spoke to him via video call on the day of Holi to lift up his spirits. "Dr Vardhan made a video call on Holi to ask about my health. It was a proud moment for me. Such gestures make you feel that you are in safe hands," he said.
A resident of East Delhi, the man had returned from Europe on February 25 and had started showing Covid-19 symptoms after three to four days. So far, the China-originated virus has infected over 110 persons in India, with two of them losing their lives.
