Medical frontliners like Dr. Grace Caras-Torres knew the risks that come with the job. But after contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), she realized she was not ready to die.

“Ngayon lang ako natakot. Napaiyak ako. Hindi pa ako handang mamatay," Caras-Torres said in a Facebook post Monday, admitting publicly she is Philippines’ Patient 194. As of writing, the country has 345 existing COVID-19 cases, as 18 others have recovered and 33 have succumbed to the disease.

"Kailangan pa ako ng anak ko. Sasabak pa ako sa gyera... Hindi lang pala virus ang kalaban ko, pati katinuan ng pag-iisip.”

The Department of Health’s (DOH) COVID-19 tracker described PH194 as a 42-year-old female from Quezon City.

READ: Unang COVID-19 case naitala sa Biñan, lungsod isasailalim sa lockdown

In her now-viral Facebook post, Caras-Torres said she had repeated high-grade fevers, unusual headaches and body malaise, and lost her appetite.

What she thought was Chikungunya, a virus spread to people through a mosquito bite, turned out to be the dreaded COVID-19.

“Saka lang nag-sink in sa 'kin na posibleng COVID nga ito nung malaman kong may symptoms din yung kasama kong mag-opera ilang araw nang nakalipas,” she said.

Caras-Torres, an OB-Gynecologist specializing in infertility at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, and holding clinic at Metro North Hospital and Commonwealth Hospital, told ABS-CBN News that she is under home quarantine.

READ: PH records 82 new COVID-19 cases, 462 total

She exhibited symptoms on March 7, got swabbed for samples at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa on March 14, and was notified about her positive status on March 19.

She said she called out to God after realizing that she unwittingly exposed her 4-year-old child, her senior citizen parents, and the rest of her family to the virus.

“Di bale nang ako, wag lang sila. Nagkulong na ako sa kwarto. Nag-birthday akong naka-quarantine at may sakit na nakamamatay. Buti pala umabot pa ako ng 42…ang mga colleagues kong may COVID ay naka-intubate,” she shared.


Her family “didn’t warrant testing” because they were asymptomatic, she said.

READ: Malunggay, Panlaban sa Coronavirus Ayon sa DOH

Just when Caras-Torres felt she was recovering, she had gastrointestinal pains, and as of posting, suffering from diarrhea and stomach cramps.

As she battles the disease, Caras-Torres urged the public to reach out to those who are quarantined and their families.

“Kamustahin niyo mga kakilala nyong may sakit, mga naka-quarantine, at ang pamilya nila. Kelangan nila ng pagpapalakas ng loob," she said.

"Sana matapos na ito. Sana gumaling na kami. Sana wala nang mamatay," she prays.

READ: Yorme Isko pinangunahan ang pagbibigay ng food packs sa Maynila

"Miss na miss ko na ang anak ko."

"Ngunit salamat pa din sa lahat ng taong tumulong at nangamusta. Too many to mention. Mahal ko kayo. At Diyos ko, maraming salamat po at buhay pa ako at okay ang pamilya ko.”

The World Health Organization's latest report showed that nearly 300,000 COVID-19 cases have been recorded globally, with deaths approaching the 13,000 mark.


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