SARS patient: Disease not to be feared

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 07, 2004

SARS patient: Disease not to be feared

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"The disease is not that fearful," said the 32-year-old television producer who was confirmed Monday as a SARS patient, during an exclusive telephone interview with Xinhua from this capital of Guangdong Province in south China on Tuesday.

The TV producer, surnamed Luo, recovered from SARS and said he might be discharged from the Guangzhou-based No. 8 People's Hospital Thursday.

Luo complained of a headache and fever on the night of Dec. 16,and was admitted to an isolation ward at the No. 1 Hospital of Zhongshan University on Dec. 20.

Initially diagnosed as having pneumonia in the lower right lung, Luo was transferred to the No. 8 People's Hospital Dec. 24.

"It was quite a shock to realize that I might have contracted SARS, when I was sent to the isolation ward," said Luo.

However, he was soon back to his normal cheerfulness, thanks to his quick recovery and comprehensive medical and psychological treatment provided by the hospital.

Tang Xiaoping, president of the No. 8 People's Hospital, said the man had met the three standards set for a SARS patient to be discharged from the hospital in China: disappearance of shadows on the lungs, loss of accompanying symptoms and no fever for over a week.

In fact, Luo had almost no fever when he arrived at the hospital, despite the headache and fatigue, plus obvious disorders with the digestive canal, nausea, chest discomfort, shortage of breath and a slight cough.

The patient's condition improved daily as soon as he received conventional treatment from a team of 20 or so medical workers, including antibiotics and support treatment to prevent complications.

No oxygen inhaler or hormones were used in treating the patient, said Tang, who added that the medical workers had successfully relieved the man's anxiety.

"My appetite is very good now, and I can almost take all the food provided by the hospital," said Luo, who is now taking lower dosages of medicines.

He said that he was satisfied with the specially-made tonic soup and newly-installed shower in his hospital ward.

Although the knowledge that many people had died in the same isolation ward during last year's SARS crisis worried him at first, Luo is now fully at ease with his illness and well prepared to return to his busy life producing TV documentaries.

Luo, living in Guangzhou alone and unwilling to inform his family of his situation, was thankful to his friends, who stayed in close contact with him and encouraged him to fight against SARS by sending mobile phone messages to him in hospital.

The TV producer was relieved to learn that his roommate has not reported any SARS symptoms so far and will be released from isolation soon.

Still unaware of the cause of his catching SARS, environmentalist Luo said he had never touched or eaten civet cats in his life and recalled only having thrown a baby mouse out of the window by hand.

"My colleague told the doctors about me and the mouse, hoping to help them find the source of my infection," said Luo, who has not been to dirty places or wildlife markets for the past two months.

He expressed his thanks to the medical workers and local government for their comprehensive and experienced efforts to treat and control SARS.

"I am confident about China's ability to eradicate SARS," said Luo.

Tennis fan Luo said he will return to his daily practice as soon as his doctors allow him to do so.

Source: Xinhua

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