We see news, pictures, and videos every day that reminds us of how deadly the coronavirus is, especially since it’s been declared a global pandemic.
While some remain vigilant and extra careful in protecting themselves against the virus, there are still others who we read about in the news that seem to take the situation lightly.
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That said, one Twitter user decided to shed light on what it’s like to become a victim of COVID-19.
Zulfandi Haris was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on 9 March and was admitted to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for 12 days to undergo treatment.
Pengalaman saya sebagai POSITIVE COVID-19
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Virus yg melanda seluruh dunia sehingga menjadi pandemic kpd semua org. Kita 🇲🇾 tidak terkecuali bahkan semakin serius sehingga RMO dilancarkan.
Disini saya akan share pengalaman sbg pesakit COVID-19. Ini adalah thread
He had close contact with his wife who was first tested positive for the virus, causing him to be infected as well. The ambulance came to their house to bring them to the hospital and they were placed in separate rooms of the same ward.
Isteri sy +ve pada permulaannya menyebabkan saya sbg contact rapat kpd isteri terus sy disahkan +ve juga. Selepas disahkan +ve, KKM akan hantar ambulans utk dibawa ke hospital. Kami berdua ditempatkan di HKL, wad 28.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Tp kami tidak sebilik. Saya bilik 13, isteri bilik 14
According to Zulfandi, the doctor only treated symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough or respiratory problems, since there is no treatment for the virus.
He had to undergo a swab screening test six times throughout the period of his stay as patients would need to get a negative result consecutively to be confirmed negative for the virus. Zulfandi wrote that there are some who tested negative during their first screening but tested positive again for the virus the second time they did the screening.
Untuk keluar drpd hospital dan betul bebas drpd virus ini, saya perlu dptkn result -ve utk 2x berturut. Ada jer pesakit yg -ve kali pertama tetapi bertukar +ve kali kedua pula. Ini semua bergantung pd diri sendiri. Sbb tu kami tidak boleh stress ketika fight virus ni.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Zulfandi attached a few pictures along with his tweets to document his experience as a COVID-19 patient.
There’s pictures of him arriving at the hospital to get his wife tested for the virus. According to him, his wife had a fever in the first three days of being infected while he was asymptomatic, showing no symptoms of the virus throughout his period of being infected.
Sini saya sertakan beberapa gambar sbg kenangan.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Saat pertama kali nk dptkn ujian saringan utk isteri yg menunjukkan symptoms.
Symptoms ni berbeza utk setiap org. Isteri saya demam pd 3hari pertama.
Berlainan pula dgn sy yg Tiada menunjukkan apa-apa symptoms pic.twitter.com/jKwo1EyhBp
The test was conducted via drive-thru, and the process only took 10 to 15 minutes. The results came out after 2 days and as soon as his wife tested positive for the virus, they disinfected their house before the ambulance came to transport his wife to the hospital.
Selepas 2hari ujian saringan, isteri POSITIVE COVID-19. Terus kami kemas rumah disinfect rumah cepat sblm isteri saya dijemput dgn ambulans ke hospital.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Tiada pilihan ketika ini mmg kecoh dgn satu blok. Kami kekal bertenang utk tidak menimbulkan panik kpd org lain. pic.twitter.com/BFNjlwCYR4
He was immediately summoned to the hospital for testing and was later brought in by the ambulance, after he was confirmed to be infected by the virus.
Before leaving, he told his son to stay with his relatives, as “mummy and daddy are sick”. They remained calm throughout but he couldn’t help but shed a tear as he was leaving his son.. Luckily, he revealed that his son was not infected by the virus.
Ini saat saya pula naik ambulans utk ke HKL slps dpt panggilan saya POSITIVE COVID-19.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Sebelum pergi tu, sempat berkata kpd anak “Umar (anak) duduk dgn Mak Lang (adir ipar) sampai mommy daddy balik yer. Daddy & mommy sakit pergi hospital jumpa doc”
Mmg menangis saya otw keluar pic.twitter.com/kYAJ2IsdFF
There is a special entrance for COVID-19 patients that will take them directly to an isolated ward.
Ini pintu masuk paling senang utk ke wad isolasI COVID-19. Sama bangunan dgn wad diraja.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Saya bilik 13 dan isteri bilik 14. Tak dpt jumpa, tp tahu isteri selamat skrg. pic.twitter.com/RfTDUra35N
They were given healthy and delicious food four times a day in disposable containers. The situation at the hospital was calm.
Makanan pertama saya bila check in kat wad di HKL. Kami diberi makan 4x sehari. Semua disediakan secara bungkus pakai buang. So rugi la kalau tak makan. Semua makan sedap & berkhasiat. Ini suasana di bilik saya. Tenang jer. pic.twitter.com/DuGiisqJFG
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
He said sometimes they can't differentiate between the nurses, doctors or cleaners as whoever enters the ward must wear full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Despite the rooms being air-conditioned, the healthcare workers were still drenched in sweat after being in their PPEs for 12 hours straight. Once they took off their PPEs, they would need to throw them out immediately even after they’ve just gone for a toilet break or prayers.
Kekadang kami tak dpt bezakan antara Nurse, Doctors or Cleaners. Semua masuk mesti pakai full PPE mcm ni. Kesian diorg wpun wad aircond, tetap berpeluh dan perlu pakai hampir 12jam sehari. Sekali dah buka PPE ni, mmg terus buang even utk ke toilet/solat. Hargai pengorbanan mereka pic.twitter.com/6y9ewT7V6A
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
The cleaners also need to quickly disinfect and clean the area once a patient has been discharged to make room for new patients. They immediately clean every corner of the beds and even replace the curtains.
Ini proses yg cleaners perlu buat bila ada sorg dah keluar dan ada pesakit lain nk masuk. Cepat2 diorg cuci katil even langsir pun digantikan. Cuci betul2 sehingga besi katil pun disanitized dan locket tepi. pic.twitter.com/2PL268T11O
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
He also showed how X-rays were taken if you are a COVID-19 patient. You are unable to leave your rooms throughout the whole treatment. Hence, the hospital staff will come to treat you.
Ini pula cara kami diambil X-Ray. Pesakit tunggu je kat katil, petugas akan dtg. Mmg semua dilakukan dlm bilik dan kami mmg tak boleh keluar bilik sepanjang rawatan. pic.twitter.com/4QUHBZ1OOJ
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
On the 11th day and the last night that he was there, he was transferred to the Open Ward with 30 other COVID-19 patients. He felt uncomfortable at the time to be placed in the same room as those who are still positive for the virus, so he stayed up all night, praying to get out quickly. On the 12th day, he was finally discharged.
Pada hari ke 12 akhirnya saya dpt kebenaran keluar. Wad ini yg saya duduk 11hari 11mlm, alhamdulillah ini semua kenangan tidak dpt dilupakan. pic.twitter.com/PMZopum8om
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
He thanked those who have been with him throughout his journey as a COVID-19 patient, from the dedicated healthcare workers who tirelessly treated him and all the other patients, his supportive family, to even his fellow wardmates who went through this journey together and have now become his close friends.
As a final message, he reminds the public to not stigmatize patients who were infected by the virus.
“We consider this our test” he said.
“However, to avoid it from ever happening, it’s better for us to protect ourselves & our families too,” he added.
“I'm Zulafandi Haris, now I'm NEGATIVE COVID-19” he signed off.
Ingatlah. Kami semua pesakit tidak minta penyakit ini. Kami anggap ini ujian kami. Tapi sblm terjadi, lebih baik kita sediakan perlindungan kpd diri & keluarga juga.
— zulafandiharis (@ZulafandiHaris) March 23, 2020
Saya Zulafandi Haris, skrg saya NEGATIVE COVID-19 🥰
Zulfandi’s experience is one of the thousand cases of COVID-19 here in Malaysia. As of today (26 March), there are 2,031 cases of COVID-19 in Malaysia with 23 deaths and 215 patients that have recovered.
UPDATE: Sebanyak 235 kes baru #COVID19 iaitu kes harian tertinggi menjadikan keseluruhan 2,031 setakat 12pm, 26 Mac.
— KKMPutrajaya (@KKMPutrajaya) March 26, 2020
60 drpd kes baru itu dari kluster perhimpunan di Seri Petaling, selebihnya dlm siasatan.
45 pesakit di ICU (32 pesakit memerlukan alat bantuan pernafasan).
Let this be a reminder for everyone to remain cautious and follow all the precautionary measures given to fight against COVID-19. Stay safe everyone!
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
