KBC anchor says friends abandoned her after testing positive for Covid-19
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Channel 1 news anchor Purity Museo has disclosed what she underwent when she announced that she had tested positive for Coronavirus after experiencing various symptoms.
The news anchor and health reporter was among 68 Kenyans who in June received the new Uzalendo presidential award for outstanding contribution in the fight against Covid-19.
Ms Museo disclosed that she did not expect the stigma that was to follow, especially from her friends, who fled from her after she tested positive for the deadly novel virus.
“My symptoms included severe headache, fever, body pains, and loss of smell. Two days later, I began to diarrhea, had back pains and a rash on my face. But stigma! I was called and asked, I hope you did not infect me with the virus!’ Friends disappeared,” she tweeted on Monday.
My symptoms included severe headache, fever, body pains, loss of smell. Two days later, I began to diarrhea, had back pains and a rash on my face. But stigma! I was called and asked‘ I hope you did not infect me with the virus!’ Friends disappeared. ? pic.twitter.com/nQPLRH2Gy8
— Purity Museo (@purity_museo) November 23, 2020
Ms Museo is the host of weekly TV show Family Matters that highlights social issues, including health topics, and once during her show she got tested for Covid-19 on live TV to give Kenyans a glimpse of what to expect and how testing is done.
Since the the virus was first reported in the country in March, she had dedicated her show thatairs every Sunday to in-depth coverage of special topics on the disease, including epic interviews with frontline health workers, Covid-19 survivors, patients, experts and top government officials.
In October, Ms Museo said she decided to go and get tested after she started having headaches, fever, body pain and lack of smell which are some of the common Covid-19 symptoms.
Read: KBC news anchor tests positive for Coronavirus
She added that after her tests came back positive she got medication and decided to isolate at home following the doctor’s advice.
“Keep me in your prayers and stay safe,” she tweeted then.
At the time, she did not reveal if any of her colleagues whom she might have interacted with or family members had also tested positive.