Coronavirus: daughter to be reunited with critically ill father after the UAE government steps in to help

Harshi Patel has been flown from New York to Dubai, where her father is on a ventilator

The UAE government booked a seat on a plane bound for Dubai for Harshi Patel to visit her father, who is critically ill in hospital. Harshi Patel

The UAE government has stepped in to help reunite a woman with her critically ill father, who is being treated for Covid-19 in Dubai.

Harshi Patel was born and raised in the emirate but moved to the US with her husband in the early 2000s.

Her father, Harikrishna Patel, a businessman who has lived in the emirate since the 1970s, has been in Al Zahra Hospital for more than a week.

His condition deteriorated last week and doctors were forced to place him on a ventilator to give his body a chance to fight the disease.

Harikrishna Patel is being treated for Covi-19 at Al Zahra Hospital. Last Tuesday, his condition worsened and he was placed on a ventilator. Harshi Patel

Ms Patel wanted to travel to the UAE to support her mother and see her father but was unable to book a flight because of worldwide travel restrictions, imposed in response to the pandemic.

After she spoke to The National about her plight, UAE officials booked a seat for her on a flight to bring Emiratis home on Sunday.

“I was ecstatic. I just could not believe it,” she said.

“Dubai is still a place I call home. Just to think they were going above and beyond to help me out at this time, it really touched me.”

She said she hoped her husband would be able to join her soon.

“That would be good support for me. But I am so happy I got to come," she said.

"I think it’s very important to be with my mum. It’s hard for her. There is no one else with her in the house. She’s by herself.”

Ms Patel said her father was in a critical condition.

“The doctors said we have to take it day by day. We are just hoping for the best.”

Ms Patel landed in Dubai on Sunday and will spend up to 10 days quarantined in a hotel before she can see her family.

Before being released, she must test negative for Covid-19 twice.

Her father contracted the disease despite not having left home since Dubai introduced a 24-hour stay-at-home order on April 4.

His family said it was possible he was infected while visiting his business in Deira before the order was issued.

International air travel was brought to a near standstill last month due to the outbreak, but repatriation flights continue.

To date, the UAE has brought home 2,286 Emiratis from 43 countries and helped repatriate more than 22,000 people stuck in the country because of travel restrictions.

Etihad Airways is due to resume flights on June 16, but that could be delayed.