Covid-19 survivor: They called my family carrier

Kota Kinabalu: It is possibly the worst of times for Covid-19 survivor Martha Alexcious, even after she had recovered.

The clerk had been discharged from the quarantine and treatment centre in Keningau district for over a week but there has been no end to the innuendoes directed at her from the people, including her own relatives.

“They called my family the virus carrier,” said Martha, 38.

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“My family members are innocent but people condemned them for no reason.”

Such remarks, she said, were hurtful.

“It is as if I chose to get infected when I don’t even know how I got the virus in the first place,” she said.

For now, she tries to be upbeat and ignores such negative remarks.

Thankfully, she gets a lot of encouragement from other family members and friends who are helping her to heal.

“From my experience as a Covid19 patient, it is important that we build up our immune system to fight the virus,” she said.

Recalling the early days of being infected, Martha said she had not been feeling well.

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“I got tested because my friends were going for it on Oct 13,” she said.

A few days later, she came down with an “odd” fever.

“My body felt hot inside but cold at the same time,” she said.

On Oct 18, she got a call from the Health Department informing her that she tested positive for Covid-19.

She was sent to the centre in Keningau. Her family members were tested and were found to be negative.

“I was lucky because my symptoms were mild. I developed that weird fever again while at the centre although my temperature reading was normal,” she said.

Another Covid-19 survivor, Misalindah Abraham, is also dealing with her emotions during her recovery period.

“As someone with a history of depression and anxiety, I get overly concerned, especially after surviving Covid-19,” said Misalindah, 30, who is based in Semporna.

Luckily for her, she was surrounded by mostly caring people.

“I get more love than hate. It makes it easier for me to cope, especially now that I am still confined to my room,” said the graphic designer, who works from home.

She tested positive in September after a two-week fever, besides losing her sense of smell and taste.

Misalindah was discharged from the treatment and quarantine centre on Oct 11.

These days, she would fret whenever she felt an itch in her throat or nose.