Sunday marked a very special birthday for Dubai resident Mrugendra Kuber.
It was the first time his family-of-four were together since three members, including himself, were taken to hospital with Covid-19.
The young family shared their experience of being separated for more than 25 days after the father, mother and son all contracted coronavirus last month.
Mr Kuber, 45, spent 10 days in hospital after suffering for more than a week at home with high fever, a cough and breathlessness.
Just two days later, on April 8, his 13-year-old son, Advay, and wife, Meeta, had tested positive for the virus too.
Within hours, both were taken to hospital for treatment and spent 20 days under the care of doctors and nurses in Dubai.
"My husband had a really bad bout of the virus," Ms Kuber, 44, told The National.
“He started showing symptoms of fever and a dry cough in late March and it just got worse.
“He was diagnosed with kidney cancer late last year and had surgery to remove a tumour so it was a huge worry when he started showing symptoms of Covid-19.
“We were first advised to self-isolate at home and avoid the hospital because his immunity was at an all-time low.”
As his cough and fever worsened, Mr Kuber, a business owner originally from India, underwent a blood test, X-ray and Covid-19 swab at hospital before being sent home.
But as his health deteriorated and he experienced difficulty breathing, he was eventually admitted as an in-patient on April 6.
“He was in a really bad state but I wasn’t allowed in the hospital with him,” his wife said.
“The worst days for us had just begun though.
“When I got home, I self-isolated from my two children, they're seven and 13, just to be safe.
“The next day, on April 7, all three of us along with our nanny had to get tested.
“The stress of my husband being in the hospital and our results pending was awful, it just felt like our world was crumbling around us.
Within 24 hours, Ms Kuber received the news she was dreading. She was diagnosed with coronavirus and was taken to a nearby hospital via ambulance.
The results for both her children originally came back negative.
However, the next morning she was told there had been a mix up with the results and her 13-year-old son had tested positive for the virus.
“It was one of the worst phone calls I could have received,” she said.
“I couldn’t believe we had all been separated by this cruel virus.
“As per Dubai Health Authority rules, my son was admitted to the same facility as me so we were in one hospital and my husband was in another.
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“I was in such a flux because I knew my youngest would have to stay home alone with the nanny.
“My husband’s condition had gotten really bad too. At one point the doctor said there was a chance that he may have had to go on a ventilator in intensive care.
“By some miracle he didn’t have to."
Although friends and family were calling to offer support, the mother-of-two said it was difficult not being able to have “human to human contact”.
And with Mr Kuber in such a weak state, she said she tried to keep spirits high by sending videos and pictures of happier times they spent together as a family.
Eventually, on April 16, after 10 days in hospital alone, Mr Kuber was given the all clear to go home.
It was still another two weeks before he was able to embrace his wife and son.
“During my whole time in hospital I only experienced fatigue and an itchy throat," Ms Kuber said.
"I actually received two negative tests results back on April 19.
“Although Advay was asymptomatic, he didn’t get the all clear for another nine days.
“He tested negative in one swab but then the results came back positive after a follow up test.
“This happened twice, so we could not discharge ourselves from the hospital.
“Doctors advised us that was quite common in children’s cases.”
Eventually, on April 28, the duo were given the all clear to go home, but Ms Kuber was advised to keep her son isolated away from the family for a few more days as a “precautionary measure”.
“Sunday was the first time he came out of his room and it was the same day as my husband’s birthday,” she said.
“It was such a special celebration and I could not stop hugging my family as we were all back together again.
"Life has taught us a very tough lesson. I never would have imagined going through this experience in my life but it is so important to try and stay positive.
"I still remember one of my friends said 'Meeta, you have to rise like a Phoenix from this' and that is so true."
