'A new man': Bangladeshi who was critically ill with COVID-19 discharged from hospital after nearly 5 months
After nearly five months in various Singapore hospitals, Bangladeshi worker Raju Sarker - who was critically ill with COVID-19 - has finally been discharged. (Photo: Facebook/Tan Tock Seng Hospital)
SINGAPORE: After spending nearly five months in hospitals, Bangladeshi worker Raju Sarker - who was critically ill with COVID-19 - was finally discharged on Friday (Jun 26).
Mr Raju, also known as Case 42, tested positive for the coronavirus on Feb 8. He spent about two months in the intensive care unit (ICU) and had to be put on a ventilator.
In March, his wife gave birth to a baby boy in Bangladesh while he was in the ICU. A donation drive was set up for his wife, with members of the public donating items such as diapers, formula milk and toys.
In mid-April, he was transferred to the general ward when his condition improved, and in May he started rehabilitative treatment.
On Saturday, Tan Tock Seng Hospital announced that Mr Sarker had finally been discharged "after a painfully long fight against COVID-19".
"After two months in the ICU; and five weeks of intense, self-driven therapy with the guide of our rehab team, he walked out from the hospital a new man," said Tan Tock Seng Hospital in a Facebook post.
"His journey to recovery leaves many of our care teams feeling overjoyed and can only describe this as 'remarkable' and 'dramatic'," it added.
READ: 'I am okay now': Bangladeshi whose wife gave birth while he was critically ill with COVID-19 to be moved to community hospital
Social enterprise group ItsRainingRaincoats also made the announcement on Friday about Mr Raju's recovery.
"All your prayers for Raju have been answered ... We received a message today from Raju’s wife that Raju had been discharged from hospital," it said in a Facebook post, adding that he will be on two months' medical leave.
"Hopefully (he) will be reunited with his wife and baby in the not too distant future."
READ: COVID-19: Bangladeshi worker, whose wife gave birth while he was in critical state, moves out of ICU
Mr Raju, 39, was one of the first few migrant workers in Singapore to contract COVID-19.
His case is linked to a cluster at a construction site at Seletar Aerospace Heights. Prior to hospital admission, he had visited Mustafa Centre and stayed at The Leo dormitory on Kaki Bukit Road.
Mr Raju's ordeal began on Feb 1 when he reported the onset of symptoms. He sought treatment at a general practitioner clinic two days later, before going to Changi General Hospital (CGH) on Feb 5.
He was admitted to CGH after a follow-up appointment at Bedok Polyclinic on Feb 7. The next day, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was transferred to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.
The Bangladesh High Commission told CNA on Feb 20 that Mr Raju was in a critical condition, having already suffered from respiratory and kidney problems, as well as pneumonia, before being infected with the coronavirus.
READ: COVID-19: Wife of critically ill Bangladeshi man in Singapore gives birth to baby boy
Mr Raju's condition took a turn for the better in mid-April, when he was taken off the ventilator and transferred out of the ICU to recover in a general ward.
Towards the end of May, he was moved to a community hospital for rehabilitative care.
"Please pray for me. I am okay now," said Mr Raju in a video posted by the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) in May to announce his move to a community hospital.
"I want to continue to live a healthy and happy life with my wife and child, so please pray for me. Thank you everyone."
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