Dr. Cuellar Feeling Better and Recovering from COVID-19
Today, News Five spoke with Doctor Fernando Cuellar via phone from his hospital bed at the Belize Medical Associates where he has been admitted, after contracting COVID-19. The well-known internist checked himself into the hospital after he noticed that his oxygen concentration was decreasing. He started presenting symptoms from as early as Friday. While talking to News Five about his experience, Doctor Cuellar says that he believes he contracted the virus from one of his patients who he confirmed was COVID positive.
On the Phone: Dr. Fernando Cuellar, Internist, Belize Medical Associates
“Today I am feeling much better compared to twenty-four hours ago. My symptoms started from Friday when I was feeling a little under the weather, so to speak. A little bit tired which was a little bit unusual up to the point that on Saturday, I told my staff that I was going to see limited patients which I did. And then in the afternoon I stopped early and I slept most of the afternoon, which was quite unusual. Sunday I got progressively exhausted and there was a dry cough, almost nonstop so I monitored it on Sunday evening and then throughout the night I noticed my oxygen level had fallen and around three in the morning, it had dropped to eighty-six and that’s when I decide to check myself in the hospital.”
Duane Moody
“I know you work with so many different persons, your clients and all of that; that maybe that was how you contracted the virus?”
On the Phone: Dr. Fernando Cuellar
“More than likely Duane and I do have the specific experience in mind. This gentleman that I had diagnosed with COVID-19. He was sitting on the bed, he burst out crying and sobbing and shaking his head and saying things like he doesn’t want to die. And I continuously bent over and hugged him, put his head on my shoulder and tried to console him. As a doctor, you know you shouldn’t do that, but I think that human part came out immediately and I tried to offer some consolation. And I think that would be the closest contact I came to being in physical contact with somebody with COVID then. And it happened about a week or a week and a half ago.”
