47-year-old highways employee beats COVID-19 after 82 days at Chennai’s Rajiv Gandhi Hospital

CHENNAI: A 47-year-old highways employee recovered from COVID-19 after spending 82 days at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and was discharged on Monday.

RGGGH dean Dr E Theranirajan said the patient had 80 percent lung involvement when he was admitted to the hospital in September.

Prior to his admission to RGGGH, the patient, who hails from Ariyalur, was taking treatment in various private hospitals.

“Despite that, his condition did not get better, so he was finally transferred to RGGGH,” said the dean.

He said that the patient required high-flow nasal oxygen immediately during arrival and a battery of eight doctors per shift was deployed to monitor his condition.

“During his admission, the highways official also got promotion. He wanted to go out for one day and return. But we told him his life was more important and gave him continuous treatment,” said Dr Theranirajan.

The dean said the patient is now able to walk freely without oxygen support.

The RGGGH has successfully treated more than a dozen patients who had severe symptoms of COVID-19 in the past eight months.