Patiala man, first Covid-19 case in Ambala, discharged from hospital

Jaskaran Singh | TNN | Apr 14, 2020, 15:24 IST

Gurpreet of Ram Nagar

AMBALA/PATIALA: A 21-year-old youth of Ram Nagar village in Patiala district who tested Covid-19 positive on March 28 at the civil hospital, Ambala City, has been discharged after treatment on Monday, as he tested negative for the coronavirus in two consecutive tests, told Ambala district civil surgeon, Dr Kuldeep Singh.
On Monday morning, while discharging the youth from the city hospital in Ambala, the medical officers who treated him lined up outside the hospital and applauded him while clapping for defeating Covid-19.
Dr Kuldeep told, “We handed him over to the Patiala district administration after treating him in Ambala, and now, it is their responsibility to take care of him.”
On the other side, Patiala civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra told, “The youth has been dropped at home in his village and he will be kept under observation of medical officers of Patiala district for some days. However, he has been declared completely negative for Covid-19. A total of his 14 close contacts from his village and 2 more random contacts were tested for Covid-19 in Patiala and all of them had tested negative. Moreover, 6 other of his contacts from Shahpur village in Ambala district were also tested in Ambala and they too had reported negative.”
The Patiala youth exclusively talked to TOI over the phone and disclosed about the treatment received at the civil hospital Ambala City.
Talking about doctors at Ambala hospital, he said, "The doctors at Ambala hospital never let me feel that I am suffering from Covid-19 and I knew from the very first day when I got admitted that I am suffering from this viral disease which I somehow caught from my Nepal journey. I was hopeful of getting well and the doctors always motivated while telling me that my health is good and I only have to stay under their observation for some days at the hospital."
“My family members always supported me and boosted my confidence and I constantly remained in their touch through mobile for several hours”, he said.
“I thank the doctors at Ambala who took care of me and treated me from this disease”, he said.
“I along with my two colleagues visited Nepal for work in my field of industrial automation. I am unaware that from where I caught the viral disease. On March 19, I returned to Delhi via an Indigo Airlines flight and then I reached Ambala on a Haryana Roadway bus. I fell ill on March 26, when I visited the city hospital in Ambala, where I was tested positive for Covid-19”, told the youth while speaking about his Nepal journey.
Talking about the treatment given, Dr Kuldeep said, “We treated him as per the guidelines of the ICMR and as he is young his immunity system is strong.”
Dr Kuldeep Singh told, “The Patiala man had a travel history from Nepal, was the first Covid-19 positive case recorded in Ambala district. The village Ram Nagar of Patiala district is close to Ambala, therefore, he had visited the city hospital here to get the treatment on March 26. Gurpreet had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 28, and we have discharged him on April 13, after he tested negative for the virus in two tests.”
“His family members and contacts who were quarantined at a facility in Ambala have been released and they were sent back to their homes and asked to stay at home”, told Dr Kuldeep.
Provided Netflix access for entertainment at hospital
Dr Kuldeep told, “During his treatment in Ambala, he was allowed access to his mobile and we provided him Netflix account password on the mobile App to watch movies and stay entertained. The Netflix access was given so he does not get bore or feel depressed during his hospital stay. All his needs related to food were taken care of from time to time.”