Francis Narte Feliciano stands with a hospital staffer. John Varughese/ Gulf Today

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A Filipino in Dubai is in high spirits, looks forward to returning to work, and hopes to inspire; for no matter how severly COVID19 affects one, it could be overcome and won.

He is Francis Narte Feliciano, who, until Thursday morning was clueless as to how and where SARS-CoV2 caught him. His normal routine is house-workplace-house and occasional malling.

“I can eat by myself now. It is high protein diet. Chicken. High potassium. Bananas,” the 46-year-old said, as he gestured his right hand towards his mouth while maintaining a smile.

“What I remember is that I was unable to pay the taxi driver who took me here. There was a wheelchair and staff took me to the ER (Emergency Room). My fever was at 39 degrees Centigrade.”

“Here” for Feliciano is the Canadian Specialist Hospital (CSH) in Abu Hail, Dubai.

Earlier interviewed about Feliciano’s case was the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Critical Care Unit head/Consultant Intensivist Dr Hayder Matouk.

“His health has greatly improved. He could stand and walk now (with the walker).” said Matouk.

The most important is ensuring a patient, especially in such cases as Feliciano’s, could independently be mobile.

Another factor considered in such cases is the health and safety of the medical and logistics personnel assigned.

From the ER on April 13, Feliciano was admitted at the ICU. He exhibited high grade fever, difficulty in breathing and severe coughing. His oxygen level was too low. X-ray results demonstrated that only 10 per cent of his lungs were left functioning.

As of 9:24 GMT on July 23 (Thursday), the World Health Organisation had registered a total of 15,398,550 COVID19 cases worldwide. Of these, 66,329 were serious or critical.

Feliciano, confined at CSH for at least 72 days from April 13, was among the critical. He was intubated, on mechanical ventilation, was in coma for 60 days, underwent tracheotomy, sustained stroke, and swung into four near-deaths.

“When I finally awoke by second week of June, it was my wife in Canada, a caregiver and my 18-year-old son in the Philippines who crossed my mind. We spoke to one another. They were worried. My situation has taught me we should not lose hope. Ask for help. And pray. My lungs have weakened. The doctor said I must go for annual flu shots from now on,” Feliciano said, smiling.