Patient 121: A 37-year-old COVID-positive turned down by hospital

After testing positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a 37-year old man from Mandaluyong was instructed to find a hospital in Metro Manila that would treat him. Some hospitals said they were already on overcapacity, while at least one other hospital directly turned him down.

It was a Tuesday three weeks ago, March 3, when a construction firm owner from Mandaluyong — now tagged as PH121 — first noticed symptoms of the COVID-19. He had no travel history and no known exposure, and he said it all started from chills early in the morning.

He received results that confirmed he was positive for COVID-19 on March 13, but was only confined in a hospital two days later on March 15. Most hospitals he called were already overcapacity, while one said it had a room available, but not for a COVID-positive.

"Una, may tumawag for me, may available daw na room. Sabi ko 'Can you tell them that I'm COVID-positive.' Nung sinabi nga nila na COVID-positive, tinanggihan na nila ako," he said in an interview with Lei Alviz on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday, where he detailed the last three weeks:

March 3 - Symptoms start

"'Pag uwi ko, medyo nag-chills ako nang kaunti noong madaling araw, so I just took paracetamol and then natulog ako."

March 4 - Reports to work

"'Pag gising ko, okay naman 'yung feeling ko, so I went to the office. May mga meeting pa ako. Then late in the afternoon, doon na medyo sumama na 'yung pakiramdam ko."

March 5 - Fever starts

"Akala ko naman na, since wala naman akong na-encounter, baka 'yung normal na fever lang so nagtataka lang ako kasi ang fever ko usually lasts for two days lang. Eh 'yung fever ko tuloy-tuloy, so medyo kinabahan na ako. Although nag-on and off siya eh."

March 11 - Check up at St. Luke's Quezon City

"'Pag dating doon, hindi raw kasi ako qualified, dahil limited 'yung testing kits. They can, mag-blood test ako and x-ray. So noong nag x-ray ako, 'pag labas noong result, ER, nakita nilang may pneunomina. Doon ako biglang naging considered PUI (person under investigation) na. They had me, ano na, nag-swab test na ako, nilipat na ako doon sa tent. At that time, wala pa rin akong cough, so pinauwi muna nila ako, self-isolate muna for the meantime while waiting for the result."

March 12 - Cough worsens

March 13 - Confirmation

"Tumawag na 'yung sa DOH (Department of Health) yata, na-confirmed ako na positive, and they're asking me to look for a hospital na pwede akong ma-confine."

March 15 - Admitted to the a hospital for mild pneumonia, given antibiotics

March 16 - Conditions improve

March 18 - Swabs collected for further tests

Top of mind, PH121 said he could have possibly contracted the disease the Sunday before the symptoms started to show.

"Ang naisip ko lang na posible is 'yung Sunday kasi nag-lunch out kami tsaka nag-dinner out eh. Sabi ko nga wala eh, wala akong maalala na na-ecnounter na may sakit na kahit man lang umuubo," he said.

PH121 no longer has a fever, and his cough has improved. He is now awaiting results of the latest tests, to show if he will still need treatment or if he has recovered from the disease. Two negative tests are needed for him to be discharged.

In the meantime, he said he continues to be in high spirits as he is in communication with his family and friends, who have sent him messages of support. Visitors are not allowed for COVID-19 positive patients, to limit exposure.

"Prayers, tapos 'yung mga friends and families na siyempre. Ang daming tumatawag,  they were all telling me that they're praying for me, huwag mag-alala. So nakakatuwa din na 'yung support, even people that you rarely get to talk to, biglang tatawag. 'Yung stigma na ine-expect ko, wala," he said.

"Malaking ano, kasi parang siyempre tayo, bata tapos feeling natin ano, 'Hindi, hindi tayo tatamaan niyan,' tapos parang imposible di ba, so 'yun nga. Itong ano na to, is parang walang pinipili — may pera ka, wala kang pera, bata, matanda," said PH121.

Moving forward, PH121 has urged the public to strictly follow the quarantine protocols to avoid contracting the COVID-19.

"It's really scary. Unang una, sumunod tayo dun sa instructions ng government na talagang quarntine. If you don't need to be out, just stay home. Siyempre 'yung hygiene, 'yung nutrition, importante 'yun."

The experience, said PH121, has made him respect healthcare workers and frontliners even more.

"Every day, high-risk sila na puwedeng mahawa so message ko lang sa kanila na siyempre, mag-ingat sila. People should give them high, high respect talaga," he shared. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LA, GMA News