Dubai: A seven-year-old Syrian girl has become one of the youngest patients to have recovered from the coronavirus in the UAE.
Leen Bashr was discharged from Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi on Thursday after nearly a week on an isolation ward, and received a standing ovation from hospital staff as she made her way home.
Leen tested negative in three consecutive swabs and was declared free from the virus, however she will now have to undergo 14-days quarantine at home.
The young girl was admitted on April 14 with high fever, a dry cough and breathlessness.
Her parents told doctors she had symptoms since April 11.
A nasal and throat swab was taken, which confirmed COVID-19.
Professor Dr. Nashwa Bahaa El-Din, Pediatrician at VPS Healthcare’s Burjeel Hospital who treated Basr, said she was extremely happy that the child had recovered in such a short time.
“Leen was in a phase of moderate severity with COVID 19,” she said. “I was very worried about her as she is so young. We followed the SEHA guidelines. We gave her hydroxycholoroquine, two types of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication. She required oxgyen to be administered, but luckily did not require ventilation or respiratory support.
“Leen didn’t know what she was suffering from. I tried to explain to her that COVID-19 is just a viral infection, an enemy to be fought. I am not sure whether she had fully grasped what I told her, but she was very cooperative and obeyed all our instructions. The child faced breathlessness at the time of admission but started to show signs of recovery very soon. Thankfully, she has now fully recovered.”
News of the test result came as a shock to Leen’s parents.
“We were shattered. I’m not sure how she contracted the virus,” said Leen’s mother Btoul Diyad. “None of us in the family had any symptoms.”
Diyad said they were only relieved when the doctor explained everything. Throughout treatment Diyad stayed beside her child wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“Nobody else was allowed inside the room except doctors and nurses,” she said. “It was a tough time. My husband looked after our children at home. He was very worried about Leen. Both of them were always in touch over the phone,” she added.
Being confined to a room also wasn’t easy for Leen but she was very cooperative and obedient, explained her mother.
“She had no option to go out and play and was restricted to the room,” said Diyad. “She spent her time mostly painting, watching TV, and reciting the Quran,” addeded Leen’s mother.
Upon leaving the hospital, Leen was presented with a box of chocolates by Dr Nashwa.
Smiling from ear to ear, Leen said she was very happy and would be telling all her friends to stay home to avoid falling sick.
Leen’s recovery follows that of a nine-year-old Filipino boy last week, making them both - believed to be - the youngest two recoveries in the UAE to date. The latter was believed to be the youngest recovery from an ICU ward.
