My COVID-19 experience, by Dr Kabir Mustapha

Since the discovery of the COVID-19 virus in December 2019, it has been followed by mixed reactions. If not for Wuhan and Beijing that were actively involved, all other parts of the world had their mouths gaping, trying to accept the reality.  Following the story of the ‘hero Professor’ that initiated the suspicion of the […]

Since the discovery of the COVID-19 virus in December 2019, it has been followed by mixed reactions. If not for Wuhan and Beijing that were actively involved, all other parts of the world had their mouths gaping, trying to accept the reality. 

Following the story of the ‘hero Professor’ that initiated the suspicion of the existence of the virus and later died from contracting it, there was a feeling of uncertainty that even the World Health Organization (WHO) was not too sure of what it was. Thus, the name “new virus” defying the known Virus characteristics, its virulence and speed of transmission was amazing as it unfolds to be a pandemic.

As of today, many people do not believe in the existence of COVID-19, even in the most advanced and educated communities, but this is not unrelated to the manner it manifested. The commonly associated symptoms with the disease are; fever, headache, cough catarrh, sneezing, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, etc. No one case presentation of the disease has all of the symptoms and one can invariably present with no symptoms at all. 

Recalling the day-to-day advancement of COVID-19, it took WHO time to pronounce it as a pandemic.  

My first experience with suspected Covid-19

In March 2020, while attending a conference in Kano State, Northern Nigeria, I suffered an unusual upper respiratory track infection, characterized by painful sore

throat, fever, headache, catarrh (sneezing and running nose) and persistent dry cough. In fact, at one of the sessions of the conference I totally lost my voice, as efforts to make a comment when handed the microphone was abortive, I was voiceless. At that time, testing for COVID-19 was not available in Kano. I jokingly said to my colleagues that my condition is COVID-like so ‘keep distance’ please. 

I received treatment with a course of antibiotic, analgesic, antihistamine and cough syrup and within a few days got cured. Could this be my first attack of COVID-19 during the first wave? As at that moment, I was actively involved in the State Emergency Taskforce on COVID-19 moving around to create awareness of the disease in my state.  

Our first officially confirmed case of Covid-19 in Katsina 

Katsina State recorded its first COVID-19 confirmed positive case in early April 2020. The victim happened to be a medical colleague whose location from Katsina was over 80kms away in Daura. Getting his result to limelight was coincidental, as it was not up to two hours when the report of his condition got to the notice of the emergency response team in Katsina, that a team moved swiftly on suspicion of the condition reported that it could be COVID-19. Almost having travelled about half way to Daura, the news of his demise was announced.

On getting the news, it was insisted a sample must be obtained for testing to rule out COVID-19 infection. The team fully kitted with personal protective equipment proceeded to obtain the sample. The family members were advised to observe burial protocols according to the established NCDC guidelines, as there was high suspicion of us dealing with a COVID case. But because of the co-morbidity of the deceased, a heart condition, the family members didn’t heed the advice and they went ahead to perform normal burial rituals according to Islamic rites. The result of the test was positive and heralded the beginning of positive cases in Katsina State.

The result became the first officially confirmed case for the state. The family members of the deceased outrightly denied the Corona virus as the cause of the death of their principal. Contact tracing was done and all the family members and close associates were tested for the virus. Four of the family members were diagnosed positive and moved to quarantine. This was the beginning of the discovery of more cases on contact tracing and Daura became a hot spot.

Living in denial of COVID-19, treatment non-convergence and vaccine nationalism

One fact that had been a recurring decimal to date is the issue of denial of the existence of Corona Virus as typified by the position of Mr Donald Trump, a former President of the US, during his days in office. Even though he had the infection and got admitted as a result, his   body   language   was   not   consistent   with   the   professional   advice   based   on internationally accepted best practice under public health. His disposition was at loggerhead with the instruction chartered by the CDC on the use of facemask that is singularly believed to pose a barrier in transmission of the virus but was carelessly ignored.

Unfortunately, the disbelief cuts across the entire segment of the society with those for and against the existence of COVID-19, semblance to a class debate. This is true even among the circle of the health professionals. The development of the vaccine for COVID- 19 heralded yet another circus of discussion. The speed at which the COVID-19 vaccine was developed and the already polarized opinion as regards the existence of the virus, became a focus for serious debate. But not only that, a definite therapeutic or drug management regimen has not been agreed upon. The contending drugs of use had rallied between antivirals, antibiotics, anthelminthic, vitamins and minerals. Hydroxy-Chloroquine was at a time thought to be an effective drug to use in managing COVID-19.

It will be pertinent to say here that the coming of COVID-19 virus will be the beginning of another condition that the global community may have to live with for time to come. Despite the availability of multitude of vaccines from different sources and more in the making against COVID-19, the vaccine, like the disbelief that rallied around the virus, seemed to be another issue of contention. Will it be fully accepted? It also has unfolded with myths around it.

Global availability of the vaccine, especially equity among all nations is another area of concern. But for whatever reason, the gravity of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 is seen to be more in Europe and Asia as compared to Africa, despite the disparity in the level of available facilities and resources in managing healthcare and availability of the vaccine.

It is not out of place to presume that the lack of a fully established and operational healthcare system in Africa is tantamount to an unimaginable disaster in the offing. Alas, the situation was exactly the reverse as it is unfolding. Answers to this phenomenon are worth exploring. 

From mathematical (models) predictions at the onset of the pandemic, the situation in Africa posed a very gloomy picture, especially based on the level of development of the health sector and resources available to tackle the pandemic. 

My second encounter with COVID-19

Even within the religious doctrine and practices, the main stay in averting epidemics is ‘not enter into areas inflicted and not to step out of epidemic infested areas’. I was to make a presentation on our readiness in preparation for the second wave of COVID-19 in the month of November 2020 when I experienced an attack of fever and severe dry cough, loss of appetite and body weakness. My presumption then was the periodic attack of malaria. I commenced treatment with Artesunate+Lumefantrine (AL) and completed the course in three days. The symptoms were persistent, especially the dry cough that became a nuisance, especially at night. A COVID-19 PCR conducted revealed a positive result and I had to go on self-isolation together with my family members, as they also recorded positive to the test. 

With the positive result, a full-fledged treatment was initiated with antibiotics and other supportive drugs. My temperature rose to almost 39 degrees Centigrade and I had to be tepid sponged. At that time, the discussion around the use of Hydroxy-Chloroquine was echoing. Having observed that my temperature was not responding to the treatment, with gross loss of appetite, body weakness and passing watery stools, I tried the available equivalent of Quinolones with a course of Chloroquine that spontaneously dropped my temperature to 37.8 degrees Centigrade. I felt a lot better. For the next 2 weeks, I was convalescing and realized that I lost almost 5kg. It was one moment that my health suffered a serious blow. 

My third experience with COVID-19

In March 2021, the COVID-19 Vaccine was made available- the Astra-Zenica brand- with which as a health front liner, I was among those that received the first jab and completed the second dose 12 weeks later. Having been fully vaccinated, there was a sigh of relief as to the possibility of contracting another COVID infection, especially with the continued observance of the protocols against it.

It was the second week of October 2021 that I attended a three-day meeting in Kano and on return to Katsina three days later, I started to develop a febrile illness with mild dry cough and conjunctivitis affecting my left eye. I became suspicious and decided to get the RDT COVID test done. There were seven of us that were tested and two turned out to be positive.

I was alarmed and called on others that attended the meeting, especially those who developed symptoms of common cold that they should get tested. Three others were found also to be positive; this is despite having had a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination. The incidence as reported is not discontenting the need to get vaccinated, as I believe the recent attack we suffered would have been worse than as experienced.  

My inference on Covid-19 based on my personal experiences

The COVID-19 and I have crossed paths supposedly at least three times from 2020 – 2021 with two of the encounters confirmed by the PCR test. The first encounter was the Kano experience, even though based on symptoms, as there was no confirmatory test. Interestingly, while discussing my experience with a friend residing in China, he informed me that he had a close associate who left Wuhan in early January 2000 to return back to Nigeria from a business trip and on his return, developed symptoms very similar to what was being reported in Wuhan. He restricted his movement and admitted that other members of his family also suffered the same symptoms. Could it be the virus had already made a landfall in Nigeria, courtesy globalization? Observing the protocols on COVID-19 by our community members had been a contentious issue, not only is it among the non-elites but the elites too.

One gets baffled on visits to religious congregational arenas or market places and notice the level of non-compliance to the enshrined COVID-19 protocols. Not only are they violated, the few that observe it are seen as strangers from another planet. It is best imagined if the experience in Europe or Asia were obtainable here, I believe a greater part of our population will have been extinct by now. The cold reaction to the protocols exhibited by community members was a great challenge to effective containment of the pandemic.

What does the future have for us? COVID-19 is in us, with us and has come to be part of us.