I didn’t believe COVID-19 is real until I was infected – Lawyer

Pix 3. A former COVID 19 Patient, Ofure Okhifo at the Isolation and treatment Centre of the Asaba Specialist Hospital after she was certified free from the virus and discharged on Monday 8/6/20 . pix: BRIPIN ENARUSA

As Delta works hard to contain the novel coronavirus, Ofure Okhifo, a Warri based legal practitioner was on Monday, discharged from the COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment centre of the Asaba Specialist Hospital.

Ofure receiving a discharge certificate after testing negative to the virus after treatment.  She disclosed that she did not believe COVID-19 was real until she contracted it.

She expressed gratitude to all those who made sacrifices for her to get well, noting that she received good attention from the medical doctors and the nurses.

She also disclosed that her parents and one of her siblings tested positive to COVID-19 before she and her mother were brought to Asaba while her father and brother were kept in Isolation centre in Warri for treatment.
Reading from her discharge certificate, it was stated that she was admitted at the isolation centre on May 18th after she was referred from the Nigerian Port Authority Clinic, Warri.
According to the certificate, Ofure would live in a single room with a lot of ventilation and wear a mask while talking with other people, take a lot of fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of water.
She was also informed that her recovery from COVID-19 was not a guarantee that she could not be reinfected and should adhere to health protocols as released by government while she would be checked on regularly as an out patient.Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Charles Aniagwu who witnessed the event, said since April 7 when the first index case was recorded in the state, government has remained at alert to its duties by ensuring that those affected were adequately treated while aggressive campaigns on the causes and prevention were also, extended to all parts of the state.

He noted that the discharge of the patient was a clear indication that COVID-19 was not a death sentence with early detection.

Mr Aniagwu urged Deltans to obey health protocols as set by government, noting that despite the fact that the state has isolation centres, it would be better that the people did not become victims of the ravaging pandemic.