2 young Srinagar sisters cured of virus, leave hospital with mother

Two young sisters who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Kashmir last month were discharged from hospital on Monday after their latest test returned negative, officials said.

"First two COVID-19 Positive children discharged today from JLNM Hospital Rainawari, Srinagar, along with their mother who was COVID-19 Negative but was staying with her daughters, an official spokesman said.

The repeat samples of both the children and of the mother came negative for COVID-19 on Monday, he said.

The sisters -- one of them an infant -- had tested positive last month, having contracted the virus from their close relative.

Meanwhile, a senior doctor in charge of one of the COVID-19 hospitals here said the recovered patients were as normal as others.

"There is no risk of transmission after a person has recovered, but one must remain isolated till completion of home-quarantine after hospital discharge," said Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, Kashmir's leading pulmonologist and the head of the Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar.

He said Srinagar will soon move into the stage of discharging recovered COVID-19 patients. It was important to understand that these persons are now as normal as others, he said.

Shah said while it is understandable that people are scared of the virus and one must take all precautions, it is important to know that those who have recovered are just as free from it as others who don't have it.

He said the stigma attached with the infection is uncalled for and it is important to end it for all in the society to live a normal life.

He said there is no risk of transmission after a patient has recovered and become negative for the viral load.

However, as a precaution, the recovered person must remain under quarantine for the required period after discharge from the hospital, he added.

The doctor said all such persons should keep themselves isolated from others until their home quarantine - following hospital release - is completed.

"Relatives and friends should also not go to visit them until their said quarantine has completed," the doctor said.