​Patricia Mokoena
 
It was in February this year when 38-year-old Morkel Moloi was excited to return home from a weeklong trip in Nertherlands but his happiness was short-lived when he tested positive for Covid-19 a few days later.
When he experienced fever related symptoms, little did he know that a life-threatening experience was ahead of him.
"I started having fever related symptoms, just a couple of days after returning from my trip and I did not take it serious. Five days later, symptoms got worse and I plugged up the courage to take the test and find out what is the cause of all these symptoms that I was experiencing. Two days later my worst nightmare was confirmed," recalled Morkel.
Corona is a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. The virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generatedwhen an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales.
You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within close proximity of someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then your eyes, nose or mouth.
"Upon receiving the results, my main concern was how this could affect my son if I were to pass on. My other thoughts were on the people that I interacted with upon my return from Europe including my helper, colleagues and my neighbours,"
"I was overwhelmed by anxiety and I blamed myself for interacting with people but then reality is I was unaware. I then decided to help them by listing all of them down and submitting the list to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases immediately for tracing and tracking," said Morkel.
The young man tested positive for CoVid 19 on 12 March 2020 and by then, there wasn't much awareness about the disease like now.
"Unfortunately, I contracted the virus in the early stages, I was amongst the top 15 in Gauteng to be diagnosed therefore no one really knew what to do or say to us. I received no counselling before the test, post the results and during my journey to recovery. I was alone during my 14 days of isolation, learning each day through research about this new virus that has found a home in my body,"
"I also registered and completed three online courses; read books and exercised daily during this time," he explained.
He adds that the isolation period also gave him an opportunity to reflect on his life and was stunned when he recalled the good experiences; moments of love and all his talents.
"I started writing about my life journey and mostly I learnt the value of spending time with love ones and the need to continuously build more meaningful and real interpersonal relationships," shared Morkel.
The survivor emphasised the importance of support from family, neighbours, health care workers and to some extend colleagues during this time.
"I am a huge advocate of Corona Virus especially for people back home in Hennenman, Free State but I have also created videos that I often share on WhatsApp andFacebook about my personal experience about how real the virus is and the fact that we are all prone to be infected including those around us," he said.
Advising the community about the virus, Morkel said: "South Africans at home need to take the virus a little more serious. That can be achieved through learning more about the virus on different platforms. Do not share fake news. It creates unnecessary fear. Enforce relationships with those around you, that is your neighbours, family and colleagues. It gets really lonely in isolation,"
"The virus is not moving, people move the virus therefore, let's stay home and respect the regulations as stipulated by government. This virus can only be beaten if we work together," concluded Morkel.