By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — A Negrense nurse infected by the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome–Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) died in King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, her husband said.
The husband, who asked to be identified only as “Toto,” said the hospital’s director informed him that his wife died in Saudi Arabia at 11:50 a.m. on Tuesday (5:50 p.m. in the Philippines).
The 45-year-old Emergency Room nurse succumbed to renal failure and very low blood pressure, signs of MERS–CoV infection.
She worked in King Fahd Medical City, one of the most modern hospitals in Riyadh.
A day before she died, she had undergone dialysis and a bypass operation, Toto said.
She was supposed to go home for a vacation to spend time with their 13-year-old daughter in March, but her trip was moved to June.
Toto said he decided not to go to Saudi Arabia to avoid possible MERS-CoV infection.
But it may take a little while before the body of his wife can be sent home, as it had to be frozen for two months first, he said.
“I was informed by our friend, who is also a nurse, that in Riyadh, they don’t practice cremation or embalming,” said Toto. Those who die of MERS “are frozen for two months, [the period within which] the virus (infection) subsides.”
“I want my wife to be buried here,” Toto said.
He said he already gave an authorization for their nurse friend, who also works in King Fahd Medical City, to process all claims.
He also made a formal request via e-mail, as per advice by the hospital’s director, after deciding he would no longer head to Riyadh.
Toto said the last time he spoke with his wife was through phone on April 30, when she told him she had pneumonia and was quarantined for MERS-CoV.
The Negrense nurse started working in Saudi Arabia in 2001. She worked in various hospitals until she was transferred to King Fahd Medical City in 2005.
In February last year, she went home to Negros Occidental and stayed for more than a month before going back to Saudi.
Toto said he was also informed that her room in the hospital and her personal belongings had already been disinfected. Her personal stuff will be sent here via a package.
The nurse who infected her is already recuperating./PN
