Kerala man under Covid-19 grip for over seven months; yet to see newborn twins

A person in Kerala has been suffering from Covid-19 over the last seven months after being infected by the virus twice. He had the infection while in Kerala and was also, previously, treated for similar symptoms while working abroad.

The 38-year old, hailing from Thrissur district, is yet to see his newborn twins owing to the Covid-19 scare.

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Savio Joseph, a native of Ponnukkara, about 15 kilometres from Thrissur city, is having an endless fight with Covid-19. Health authorities said that such an instance was being reported for the first time in Kerala.

Savio, who was working in Muscat over the last few years, suffered breathing difficulties and fever in March. He was admitted to a super-specialty clinic in Muscat on March 17. He was treated for pneumonia and discharged. Though the discharge summary stated that SARS COV-2 PCR negative, the doctors and nurses who treated him as well as many of his colleagues later suffered Covid-18, Savio told DH.

Savio returned to Thrissur on June 28 and his antigen test at the airport was negative. While remaining under mandatory home quarantine, he contacted the local government hospital as he continued to have breathing difficulties. Hence he was subjected to Covid test and the result came out positive. He was admitted to the Government Medical College in Thrissur on July 18. He was discharged on August 1 after the antigen test result came out negative and was advised to remain on an eight-day quarantine.

Savio continued to have breathing difficulties and pain in the lungs. Hence he approached the local doctors again. Doctors suspected pulmonary fibrosis (damage to lung tissues) and the viral load in him to be quite high. On September 3, he tested Covid positive again and was admitted to Thrissur Medical College. On September 11, his antigen test was found negative and hence discharged.

Savio said that though he was still suffering from chest discomfort, he could not undergo further detailed investigations owing to the Covid suspicion. Owing to the fear of Coronavirus persisting in him, Savio has kept himself away from meeting his seven-month-old twin girls. He is yet to see them for the first time. Though his aged mother has been staying with Savio, she had not got infected so far, said Savio.

Thrissur District Medical Officer Dr KJ Reena said that it was the first such case of repeated Covid infection being reported in the district and probably in the state too. She said it seems that the virus remained in the dormant stage and became active again.

Executive Director of Kerala Social Security Mission and Kerala COVID taskforce member Dr Mohammed Asheel said no instance of reinfection of Covid was reported in Kerala so far. But there are chances of Covid test becoming negative when the viral load is low and later becoming positive. Hence it need not be considered as reinfection. Detailed studies are required on the chances of Covid reinfection. So far only a couple of cases of reinfection are confirmed in the world, which is very insignificant considering the number of Covid cases reported so far, he said.