A YOUNG Nigerian woman has shared her experience of recovering from coronavirus after a trip to London.

Earlier this week Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi was one of five patients discharged by doctors at the Infectious Disease Centre at Mainland Hospital in Yaba, in Lagos.

Osowobi described her experience of contracting Covid-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, in a series of posts on Twitter. 

She was invited to London in early March to take part in Commonwealth Day celebrations.

The 29-year-old, who is the executive director of Stand to End Rape Initiative, a non-profit organization aimed at tackling sexual violence and supporting abuse victims, was a flagbearer at the Westminster Abbey service held on March 9 to mark Commonwealth Day. 

She led a procession that included Queen Elizabeth, members of the royal family and the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

After returning home to Nigeria the 29-year-old said that she began to feel sick and contacted the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, a public health institute that is leading the West African nation’s efforts to stem the spread of the disease. 

Osowobi, who was named the 2019 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year,  tested positive for coronavirus and was later taken by ambulance to Lagos’ Mainland Hospital where an isolation ward had been set up for coronavirus patients.

She wrote on Twitter: “I returned to Nigeria from the UK post-Commonwealth event (I totally enjoyed) & fell ill. As a responsible person, I self-isolated. Days after, I TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

“Before returning, I had planned several interviews, I was scheduled to start a fantastic consultancy job & was also expecting to sign a contract worth millions. I lost them all!!! I had to self-isolate and also inform people I came in close contact with to get tested.”

Describing her experience at the hospital she wrote: “I felt lonely, bored & disconnected from the outside world. Few days after, another patient came in. We bonded. Days later, patients trooped in. ‘Are people observing self-isolation & social distancing?’ I was so scared for Nigeria.”

She continued: “The next days were tough. No appetite. The nausea, vomit & stooling was unbearable. I’m a blood type A & COVID 19 dealt w/ me. I thought I was going to die & contemplated a succession plan for Stand to End Rape.

“I was on drugs daily. Sometimes, I‘d take 8 tablets in the morning, 13 tablets in the afternoon, 10 at night. My system threw everything out! Water, food, soap & all disgusted me. But I’d look at the wall & force myself to stay hydrated — drank ORS. I FOUGHT TO LIVE! I FOUGHT!!

“Days after, the Doctors shared a goodnews that I tested negative. I shared this news w/ family & friends! My blood sample was taken & I also tried to donate my plasmapheresis to help others. I hoped to be discharged.”

I MURDERED COVID-19 & have tested NEGATIVE TWICE! I HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED! I bless God for His mercies.”

Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi

However one of her test results came back positive, and she was forced to spend extra time at the hospital under medical observation. 

Osowobi asked to be moved to a different ward but remained in the same ward with other patients who were still testing positive.

“For them, I was a beacon of hope & they needed me gone to register the progress,” she wrote.

She was discharged on Monday with four other patients.

After leaving the hospital she wrote: “Today, I am PROUD to inform you that I MURDERED COVID-19 & have tested NEGATIVE TWICE! I HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED!” she said on Twitter. “I bless God for His mercies.”

Osowobi thanked the Lagos state governor and commissioner of health and the nurses at Mainland Hospital writing that they deserve accolades for their work.

In a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus, more than 20 million people in Lagos have been placed under a two week lockdown.

So far, there have been 174 confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria.