Couple reveal burden of being first Covid cases in city, call for positivity in difficult times - Hindustan Times
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Couple reveal burden of being first Covid cases in city, call for positivity in difficult times

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByPrachi Bari, Pune
Oct 22, 2020 04:15 PM IST

From facing social isolation from neighbours, taunts for being well off, the family reveals the hardships and the positivity they gained in the past seven months.

The Pune couple who were first to test positive for the Covid-19 infection in the city after returning from a trip to Dubai in March 2020 have revealed that the infection has taught them value for life and brought them closer as a family.

Since the first two cases in March, Pune district has reported over 3.25 lakh cases, of which 2.81 lakh have recovered, 6,562 were declared dead and currently, 37,613 are active cases.(REUTERS FILE/ Representative photo)
Since the first two cases in March, Pune district has reported over 3.25 lakh cases, of which 2.81 lakh have recovered, 6,562 were declared dead and currently, 37,613 are active cases.(REUTERS FILE/ Representative photo)

From facing social isolation from neighbours, taunts for being well off, the family reveals the hardships and the positivity they gained in the past seven months.

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Since the first two cases in March, Pune district has reported over 3.25 lakh cases, of which 2.81 lakh have recovered, 6,562 were declared dead and currently, 37,613 are active cases.

The couple informed HT that they have stopped watching Covid news.

“We have stopped watching the news and even following the reports as it brings back bad memories for the family. All we want is to look forward in life towards a better life,” said the 43-year-old woman, who returned along with her husband and daughter from Dubai on March 1, 2020.

The woman said it was her first trip to Dubai and it was special as it was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

“It was wonderful until we reached home. We were perfectly alright, we were not checked at Dubai or the Mumbai Airport where we disembarked,” recalls the housewife.

It was after some days that the husband who is 51-years old developed a fever and suggested going for a check-up.

“We were not told by anyone but we went on our own and then immediately put in isolation, we were not informed of anything nor were told what we had,” said the wife.

It was on March 9 that the couple tested positive for Covid-19, while their 24-year-old daughter tested positive on March 10, 2020.

According to the wife, the past seven months have been of introspection and looking back.

The family feels that these are bad memories which are just an episode they would not like to revisit. Instead, the family feels that Covid-19 has taught them to value life, brought them closer as a family. The husband was also the first one to donate plasma and was thrilled when he helped two patients recover from the virus. It helped him rethink the ordeal and also be happy for helping the society at large.

“When we were in isolation at the Naidu hospital, there was neither network nor any connection to know what was going on, my children were in a separate isolation ward and had no idea of knowing what was happening to them or to us. I spent a lot of time crying and was afraid, but my husband was calm and he believed that things would be alright,” she added.

According to the woman, since they were the first couple, the doctors had no idea of how to deal with them.

“For the first two days after detecting the virus, no one came to their ward nor was there any kind of prescription or treatment. Then we were given medicines for four days and doctors would come to check upon us. We were shifted to the general ward after five days and after 17 days, we were allowed to go home,” she said.

There was another ordeal waiting for them when they reached their society from the hospital. The news of them contracting the virus had reached their neighbours who now looked at them differently.

“I felt bad to be treated like that but some of our friends stood by us and were there to welcome us back. This ordeal made us feel guilty as if we were the cause for many of the problems that arose due to Covid-19, but looking back, it could have happened to anyone,” said the wife.

Dr Sudhir Patsute, medical superintendent, Naidu Hospital blamed the media for creating hype and causing fear among people.

“We are already experienced in dealing with diseases and such cases, and were ready to accept any case, since we had been learning from China that Covid-19 was mild and also asymptomatic. So, when we got the first couple, we were very cautious in our approach. They had come back from Dubai, it was frightening for the laymen but with the readings, it helped understand the mortality and morbidity rates, we knew it was not Ebola virus,” Patsute said.

“Here we knew 98 per cent of patients will be safe, but as all diseases, we took precautions,’’ he said.

The 24-year old daughter of the couple who is an IT professional said she learnt to be patient.

“I am an extrovert like my father and we are a very social family who loves going for outings and travels, but this ordeal made us think of being happy with what we have. All I know is that if you test positive for Covid-19, then take it positively and look at quarantine as an extended holiday. My father is the source of all things positive and he taught us to relax, meditate and to be happy,” the daughter of the couple said.

Looking back at the incident, the girl revealed that almost everyone made the family feel guilty for bringing the disease back home, but it could happen to anyone.

“We faced a lot of negativity from senior citizens, faced taunts on being well off, that we wanted to travel, but we learnt to ignore these and lead a better life,” she said.

The wife recalls that while leaving the hospital after the treatment, the doctors informed them that they had a mild level of coronavirus and was not at all scary, with all of them being healthy.

“We were not even prescribed medicines after the isolation period, and the look of surprise on the visiting doctor from Sassoon, when informed that we were off medicines, was indeed funny, now that we recall when she prescribed multivitamins as medicines,” the 43-year old said.

The family feels that the first thing that any person should do if detected with Covid-19 is to support them and be positive and don’t let depression get to you.

“Take the precautions seriously and wear the mask and carry a sanitiser, it is the new way of living,” the family said.

Patsute said the medical staff are now relieved from the pressure of the past six months.

“But, we are ready for the virus to reach its peak again in January 2021. We expect some cases to rise from what we learnt from H1N1 that diseases take time to disappear. With Covid-19, it will continue until one or two years, or it is not humanely possible to eradicate the disease, but a good vaccine can help.’’

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