Case 48 shares his experience as a COVID-19 patient

It was a hurried farewell, but he avoided touching his loved ones because the last thing he wanted was to infect them.

The news that he had tested positive for the coronavirus had left him speechless.

He was given less than an hour to pack before an ambulance took him from his Bukit Batok home to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), where he was placed in isolation.

On Wednesday last week, the 34-year-old employee of Grace Assembly of God church, known as Case 48, was one of the first two patients to be linked to what would become the largest Covid-19 cluster here.

Yesterday, a 35-year-old woman became the latest to be linked to the cluster, making it a total of 22 cases.

The other two confirmed cases yesterday are a 54-year-old man linked to The Life Church and Missions Singapore cluster and a 57-year-old woman who was initially treated for dengue in a general ward at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. All three patients are Singaporean.

UNCERTAIN

Case 48, who wrote about his encounter with Covid-19 in a post published on the Christian website Salt&Light on Tuesday, said he felt unsettled and uncertain of what to expect while he was in the ambulance.

His stay at the NCID was an eye-opening experience.

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Access to his fairly large isolation room was through two glass doors to prevent contamination and transmission of the virus.

Food and medication were delivered through a hatch in the wall, and nurses communicated with him via a desk phone next to his bed.

Medical staff also put on protective gear before approaching any patient.

While these precautions are necessary given the contagious nature of the virus, he said he "felt like a leper and a prisoner".

In an e-mail interview with The New Paper yesterday, Case 48 said that guilt set in while he was in isolation.

"I felt guilty because of the possible risks that my family would be exposed to, both from catching the virus from me and the possibility of being stigmatised by being linked to a confirmed case."

He also wrote about having a rough time after his case was made public in the media.

It did not help that some wrongly reported the number of private clinics he visited before being admitted to NCID.

"I faced backlash and harsh comments from the public and even those who know me."

Revealing his emotional roller coaster over his test results, he said his friends and family celebrated with him when his first nasal swab test for the coronavirus came back negative.

But their joy was short-lived. The second test was positive.

He wrote: "Physically, I felt in the pink. Doctors said I was asymptomatic. But mentally, emotionally and spiritually, it was a challenging time.

"I was very discouraged, like I was led on to feel hopeful and then a spanner in the works and it all went south."

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A text message from his wife to trust his faith kept his spirits up.

The third test came back "undetermined", which meant he had to start the cycle of tests again.

The doctors and nurses were empathetic towards his situation, he said. Two nurses, one of whom has a child about the same age as his son, kept encouraging him to be positive.

He said: "These healthcare workers work round the clock, their leave has been frozen and some of them are separated from their families.

"Let them not be forgotten, underappreciated or treated like the plague."

He was also heartened by the support of his church leaders and friends, and how they are meeting online to pray together for those affected by the outbreak while the church is temporarily closed.

On Tuesday, his doctor walked into his isolation room without protective gear and congratulated him. His last two swab tests were negative. Case 48 was free to leave.

"I was overjoyed to be discharged. My body had fought the virus and I am now a Covid-19 survivor," he said.

The moment he got home, Case 48 hugged his family.

He told TNP: "I am very grateful for those who have been praying for me and my family, and extending their love and concern through their words of encouragement."

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.

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