Youth who cycled 350 kilometres with virus symptoms recovers

A youth who cycled nearly 350 kilometres amid the countrywide shutdown, to reach his home in Barguna from Dhaka after developing coronavirus symptoms, has recovered.

He was discharged from Barguna General Hospital on Tuesday afternoon after 18 days of treatment. The Barguna district police then took the youth to his home in their own vehicle.

According to sources at Barguna General Hospital, the youth was admitted there on the evening of April 12 on suspicion of contracting the coronavirus. 

Later that day, the hospital collected his sample and sent it for testing which came back positive two days later, on April 14. 

He was being treated in the isolation unit of Barguna General Hospital since then.

Five patients have so far recovered and returned home in Barguna after being infected with the coronavirus. Another 23 patients undergoing treatment in the district have also shown signs of recovery.

The youth had developed symptoms of coronavirus on April 5, after which he then set off for his home in Barguna on April 8 on a bicycle amid a lockdown across the country. 

After a three-day and 350 kilometres bicycle ride he reached his home in Barguna on the evening of April 10.

When his wife barred him from entering the home for not getting treatment, he took shelter at his in-law's house. 

After receiving the news, the police took him from there and admitted him to the hospital.

The news that this person came to Barguna carelessly after being infected with the coronavirus was first published in The Business Standard on April 15. 

After that, there was a lot of discussion and criticism of this person all over the country.

Dr Kamrul Azad, head of Barguna General Hospital's isolation ward, said the man had recovered after receiving timely treatment under the supervision of doctors. 

"We treated him according to the symptoms as best we could. But the biggest thing we did was give him emotional courage," he added.

Dr Shohrab Uddin, the director of Barguna General Hospital, said they tried their best to provide proper treatment under continuous monitoring.