And it got worse, says Nelson Mandela University Missionvale Campus, Protection Services’ Site Manager, Zola Daniels, who has since fully recovered from COVID-19.
Daniels, 34, of Uitenhage, now wants to share his painful experience as a means of helping people realise how dangerous the virus is, but more especially, as a means of encouraging everyone to practice all preventive measures against the pandemic.
Daniels, who is also a shop steward for the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), says he was sent to a testing site in Newton Park on Sunday, 7 June, along with three colleagues after learning they had been in contact with others who had tested positive for COVID-19.
“These tests were necessary as we had made direct contact with a few staff members that had tested positive for COVID-19,” says Daniels, one of several Protection Services staff members who were quarantined in a precautionary move to stop any possible rapid transmission of the virus on the University’s campuses.
On 8 June, Daniels received a call from Protection Services’ Director, Simphiwe Nkosa, saying he should immediately contact Sister Valencia Benjamin from the University’s Occupational Health Services Centre.
“I was told that my results had come back and confirmed that I had contracted COVID-19. I was not expecting this outcome. I was not shocked either, because I knew what I had to do by isolating myself, taking the prescribed vitamins and Umhlonyane (African herbs).
“It was easy for the first two days as I had no symptoms whatsoever. However, four days later things started changing. I started losing my sense of smell and developed a massive headache and sore throat. It was awful.”
Daniels says at that stage he did not want to do anything. He only wanted to sleep as he had developed back pains as well.
“I had back pains and it felt like my spine was crippled in half. My situation got worse as I started shivering and feeling cold at night.”
As much as Daniels kept on drinking warm water, along with his medicines, he says he and his family were all negatively impacted.
“I quarantined myself in the shack at the back of my mother’s house in Uitenhage, as I wanted to hide the fact that I was positive from her, as I knew she would overreact. I did not want to stress her.”
He says his fiancé, Siphosihle Slamsi, knew about his status and was worried but she consistently monitored his progress.
“Being diagnosed with COVID-19 affected my thinking, the way I did things and my emotional wellbeing, especially when I could see I was struggling to cope with the condition.
“I started imagining myself being fetched by those people who wear white clothes and kept on wondering what the people in my community would say.
“I did not see my family for many days, including my nephew and my daughter. I was unable to go to work. COVID-19 impacted me financially as well.”
Daniels completed his 14 days of quarantine and he is now back at work fully recovered.
Sadly, one University staff member has passed on, while 52 have to-date (17 July 2020) contracted the virus. Of these, 39 have recovered.
Daniels says he wants to send a strong message of awareness to people to adhere to all the COVID-19 prevention measures.
“As much as I have gained strength, I feel the need to also spread awareness about the importance of social distancing, washing of hands regularly and the wearing of masks. Also, people need to seek medical attention if they cannot cope at home.”
Watch Zola Daniels share his COVID-19 story in English and isiXhosa