Olivier Mugenzi (not his real name) thought he had caught a bad cold. In the first week of June, he came down with a cough, chills and body aches.

Covid-19 infections were just starting to spread across Kigali, shuttering schools and workplaces, including his university.

It did not occur to him that he might have the virus, even a­fter his friend tested positive. After a few days, Mugenzi’s symptoms disappeared and he felt well enough to go back home in Rubavu district since schools were closed.

After a few days at home, his father started coughing. At 59, his father had fragile health with chronic blood pressure. He took a few pills and spicy tea to ease up the cough. But one Sunday night, he struggled with breathing. The cough had worsened.

ICU stay

Mugenzi’s father spent the following seven days in ICU. His mother and brother, who were looking a­fter him, caught the virus too. The time he expected to spend with his family turned out to be a nightmare.

In just a week, his whole family was hospitalised with both parents on oxygen.

“It was hard enough for me to run all the hospital errands alone but the thought that I might be responsible for bringing the virus at home and that I could lose my whole family, was unbearable,” Mugenzi recounted.

Mugenzi always took Covid-19 seriously but thought it would just go away even if he caught it.

He barely understood that adhering to Covid-19 guidelines was not just about him but also the people around him.

“I spent sleepless nights thinking what I would do if my parents died because of my reckless behaviour. I resent myself for coming home even when I knew I had been in touch with people who tested Covid-19 positive. I was very scared,” Mugenzi narrated.

Mugenzi’s family later recovered and went home. His father sustained permanent lung complications from Covid-19. Mugenzi now takes care of both parents while his brother runs other family projects.

Convenient spreaders

Researchers say that people who develop mild symptoms, or none at all, are convenient spreaders of the coronavirus, because they don’t know how to take steps to avoid passing it on to people who are at risk of life-threatening complications.

Mugenzi believes that is what happened to him and his father.

The haunting feeling of losing a loved one over irresponsibility never stopped. He made it a personal commitment to keep Covid-19 as far away as possible from his home. He does not allow any guests at his parents’ and goes out only for essential errands.

“Could I have been more careful with what I thought was the common cold? If you felt the way I am feeling now, you would not expose people to that. I was reckless then. That’s what I’ve struggled with,” Mugenzi narrates.