Elderly persons, MPA's family in Sindh of 18 survive Covid-19 keeping spirits high.

Byline: Imran Ayub

KARACHI -- Meet Mr and Mrs Arshad Bhatti. Amid growing number of coronavirus cases, the myths and speculations surrounding the global pandemic and the depression fast gripping society, the couple in their 60s has something really encouraging to share.

Mr Bhatti tested positive for Covid-19 just two days before Ramazan. On doctor's advice, his immediate contact - his wife Nasrin Bibi - was also tested and found suffering from the coronavirus.

With mild symptoms of the disease, they put themselves in quarantine in their two-room Korangi home. It sounds normal and usual practice. But the details known by them and their relatives and friends about the two-member family were making them worried about the days ahead.

'Nasrin Bibi is a patient of hepatitis C and suffering from chronic liver disease,' says a close relative. 'She had suffered a chronic liver failure some nine or 10 years ago with mere hopes of survival. When she had fallen ill, the doctors had warned the family that her days were numbered. She, however, survived. But this new challenge of Covid-19 made everyone worried about her health as she was among the high-risk patients of the pandemic.'

'I have monitored patients in their late 70s and early 80s recovering from the coronavirus in Karachi and other parts of Sindh'

But the two never lost hope and stayed strong to face the challenge. They stayed at home, spent time more in prayers and kept themselves in touch with relatives and friends through the mobile phone.

Mr Bhatti said he was already feeling well after two-day of quarantine and all those mild symptoms had disappeared but he completed his 14-day quarantine. But worries of relatives and friends about his wife were never over.

'By the grace of Allah she stayed fit and fine during the isolation,' said Mr Bhatti. 'We decided not to pay heed to speculations and rumours and keep our spirits high. We spent most of the time in prayers and healthy activities. We had nothing to do with the outside world. One needs to be careful and take all precautions but never get scared or focus on negative things. We both tested negative one after another.'

MPA from Lyari

If the story of the Bhattis sounds not much inspiring and motivating, the family of Jamaat-i-Islami's Sindh Assembly member Syed Abdul Rasheed has much more than that to keep the people's spirits high.

With the beginning of almost two-month lockdown, the legislator got himself engaged in social activities. From...