She took photos of herself to put on Facebook

Changi Airport staff member suspected of H1N1 flu kept positive during hospital stay

MOST people would want to forget about a hospital stay.

But Ms Nurul Mohd Sali was so keen to share her experience with others that she took pictures of herself with her handphone when she was warded for a day at the Communicable Disease Centre (CDC2) and uploaded them onto Facebook.

The 21-year-old was there about two months ago after a general practitioner suspected her of having the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

She works in a duty-free shop at Changi Airport's Terminal 3.

At around 5pm on 30 Apr, Ms Nurul came down with a high fever.

Recounting her experience to The New Paper on Sunday, she said: 'I felt feverish and my body was aching. I was also coughing but still could walk to my company doctor (at the airport).

'I thought I was close to having brain damage as my temperature was so high. It was 41 deg C according to the clinic.'

Ms Nurul was then given a surgical mask to put on. The doctor also called for an ambulance to take her to CDC2.

'The doctor thought it could be H1N1. I was concerned but I expected the doctor to react that way as my fever was so high. He said it was best I be placed on a drip,' she said.

'I was also worried as there was a lot of publicity about H1N1 and it was spreading in Mexico and the US at that time.

'Then, there were fears it could hit Singapore too. I was concerned as I had contact with airport passengers.'

She called her parents, who said they would visit her later that night.

But when she arrived at CDC2 at 8pm, she was told by the nurses that she had to be isolated and that no visitors were allowed.

Handphone contact

All she had was her handphone to keep in contact with the outside world.

She kept herself occupied by watching shows on Channel 5 and Suria on the TV set in her ward.

'I also SMSed my friends to tell them what happened,' she recalled.

'They sent me messages of support - some even asked if I could become Singapore's first H1N1 case.'

She also took photos of her ward, of herself in bed and of her blood being drawn for tests.

She said her blood was drawn thrice - something that made her cry as she was afraid of needles.

'I was prepared for a positive result since I had contact with passengers,' she added.

For her meals, she was served porridge for breakfast and rice with fish and vegetables for lunch.

The good news came at 10am the next day. She was told she only had the common flu.

Two hours later, she was discharged and given seven days of medical leave.

Though she did not have H1N1, Ms Nurul said she did not mind being hospitalised.

'I was totally taken care of by a team of professional doctors and nurses who monitored my temperature, blood pressure and also checked for other symptoms that I may develop,' she said. 'At home, I won't have that.'

Would her close shave with H1N1 make her think about changing jobs?

Definitely not, she said.

'I'm prepared for such risks. Like most of the airport staff, I've had a flu jab,' she said.