Pakistani-American Doctor Recovering From Covid-19 Shares His Experience

A Pakistani-American doctor has shared with the media his experience of contracting Covid-19 and also his successful struggle against the infection. Doctor Mushahid Farooqi, a doctor of Pakistani origin in the United States, wrote for Prism about how he may have contracted the disease and how he recovered from it. Healthcare professionals are disproportionately represented among those who catch the infection – some 10-20 percent of total cases in the US.

Doctor Farooqi wonders if it was one particular patient from whom he contracted the virus. This patient began to display symptoms of Covid-19 during visits to the hospital, and was later confirmed to be infected. However, Dr. Farooqi points out that it could equally be any of a number of other people from whom he contracted the highly contagious illness.

The standard Covid-19 symptoms of cough, fever and breathing difficulties kept the doctor at home for a week. As his condition worsened rather than improved, he called an ambulance was admitted to hospital. His oxygen saturation levels were found to be low – a telltale effect of the virus attacking the lungs and depriving the body of much-needed oxygen. His first 8 days at the hospital were particularly difficult, but compared to worse cases, the doctor believes he was still fortunate. He spent a total of 18 days in the hospital under conditions of isolation and praises the overall efforts of healthcare professionals in helping him recover.

Doctor Farooqi mentions a number of helpful measures that he took to increase his immunity levels in the course of his personal struggle with Covid-19. He inhaled steam and consumed fruit daily. He also consumed honey and nigella seeds (kalonji) to help boost his immune system.