Indian social worker recovers from COVID-19 in UAE, discharged

Dubai, April 19 (IANS) A United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Indian social worker, who had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, has fully recovered and has been discharged from the hospital.

As Naseer Vatanappally left the Medeor Hospital here on Saturday, health workers gave him a standing ovation for his tireless efforts to help the needy during the crisis, the Khaleej Times said in a report.

Vatanappally was helping thousands residents of Dubai’s Al Naif and Al Ras areas with supplies of food and other essential matters when he was found to be COVID-19-positive.

But being admitted to a hospital did not stop him from extending support. Right from his hospital bed, he worked for over 12 hours a day attending to the needs of hundreds of people who reached him over the phone seeking help.

“I was extremely sad to hear about my result. I wanted to help more people. Once I felt that I have failed. But then, I realised that I should not lose my hope. I started attending to each case over the phone and connecting with the government authorities,” the Khaleej Times quoted Vatanappally as saying.

He remained in touch with all the volunteers and connected with the authorities over WhatsApp and Zoom conferences.

Now that he’s out of the hospital, he is ready to get right back into volunteer work.

“I will start working in the affected areas. There are a lot of things that we need to do. Doctors have advised me to wear an N95 mask and gloves. I will be careful now and follow their instructions,” Vatanappally said.

As he recalled his experience while undergoing treatment, he hailed healthcare professionals as “the real heroes”.

Vatanappally added that one should not be afraid of the infection and stay strong.

The UAE has reported 6,302 coronavirus cases with 37 deaths.

–IANS

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