Wish to serve on the frontline, says PGI nurse who survived Covid

A 32-year-old nursing officer of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, who recovered from Covid-19 on Tuesday, wishes to be on the frontline in the war against the epidemic once he joins work.

The male nurse is among the two patients discharged from PGI on Tuesday after recovering from the disease, bringing the number of active cases in the city to 12.

“I have to spend the next two weeks in home quarantine but I am eager to report back on duty. This is the time when people need us. And I want to serve those suffering from the virus and help them recover,” the nursing officer said, as he returned home after 15 days in the institute’s isolation ward.

Another patient who recovered is a 42-year-old woman from Sector 30 who was detected with infection on April 3. She had contracted it from her son who had returned from Dubai and later tested positive.

Director PGIMER, Professor Jagat Ram, said “These are first two patients who have recovered from the virus after all patients were shifted from city hospitals to the Nehru Hospital extension block.”

The male nurse had tested positive for Covid-19 after he treated a 65-year-old in the emergency ward who was a suspected corona virus patient from Nayagoan in Mohali district. After he tested positive, 22 nursing officers and 5 doctors were also quarantined.

“It was a family re-union. I was worried for them. I belong to Kerala and my family had no support in the form of relatives here. My 11-month-old daughter was my motivation, but i was also terrified for her,” he said.