Grateful To Odisha Govt For Prompt Response, Says Recovered COVID Patient Of Kalahandi

Bhubaneswar: Pinku Nial, 20, of Golamunda village in Kalahandi district has expressed gratitude to the Odisha government after his complete recovery from the novel coronavirus.

Talking to the media, Nial said he had arrived in Hyderabad from Bahrain on March 19 and reached his village the next day.

“After reaching my village, I called 104 and informed the Health Department about my travel history. Following their advice, I stayed at home from March 26 to April 3. On April 4, the health staff took my blood and swab samples for test and shifted me to the institutional quarantine centre at Sosia on April 5. The test report received on April 9 confirmed me a corona patient,” Nial said.

The 20-year-old said he was shocked. “I had no symptoms of flu and fever. But I don’t know how I was infected. I could not sleep that night. My mother tried to comfort me and offered me the food. But I could not eat as I was mentally upset,” he added.

Nial said after he was tested positive, he was shifted to Ashwini COVID Hospital in Cuttack on April 10.

Sharing his experience during his treatment in Cuttack, he said the treatment facility at the Ashwini Hospital was excellent. “I will never forget the doctors and the health staffs who were extremely cordial sympathetic. They advised me to be confident and not to get panic. They also advised me to maintain social distancing to keep away from the virus.”

On his reaction after he was tested negative after the second test report on April 12, Nial said he was very happy. “I cannot express my feelings after I knew that I am completely cured of the disease.”

On the message he wants to give to the people, he said they should not panic. “If we panic, we will lose our confidence and faith. Instead, we have to fight against the disease. If anyone has any symptom of flu, he/she should immediately contact the helpline 104 so that the disease can be identified and the process of treatment is faster. If we do not inform the government immediately, the virus will spread faster among the family members and the community as well,” Nial pointed out.

About any regret, he said he had committed a blunder by coming out of his house to play cricket. “My family and the people of my village are terribly upset with me for my callousness. My earnest request to the people is that they should never commit such a blunder,” he said.

He also said he does not know where he will be taken after getting discharged from Ashwini Hospital. “My father has told me that I will be kept in quarantine at the panchayat office of his village for another 14 days,” he informed.