Võ Thị Thanh Truyền and a little boy she took care of at the quarantine area. — Photo courtesy of Võ Thị Thanh Truyền

ĐẮK NÔNG — A nurse who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Đắk Mil District, the Central Highlands province of Đắk Nông, has volunteered to assist COVID-19 patients in quarantine areas.

Võ Thị Thanh Truyền, 31, was infected with coronavirus while taking samples and tracing positive cases in late July.

Giving up COVID fighting tasks, she went into the quarantine area for treatment where she met a seven-year-old boy who was away from his family to be quarantined alone.

Seeing him cry and say goodbye to his mother, Truyền volunteered to stay with the little boy at the quarantine site to take care of him.

Truyền became a mother who provides every meal for the boy and also a doctor who encourages him to overcome pain.

From a stranger, now she is called ‘Mother’.

Nguyễn Thị Minh, the boy’s mother, said: “Truyền and my son were very close when they stayed with each other. Now when he has recovered, he usually tells me to call Truyền. Thanks to her help, my boy has been released from hospital.”

When Truyền recovered, she met two children, one eight years old and another only seven months old, who were in hospital with their mother and aunt.

The children recovered from the virus infection more quickly than their mother and aunt and were transferred to a separate area.

Truyền volunteered to return to the treatment area to take care of the two.

Truyền takes a selfie with two children she took care of at the quarantine area. — Photo courtesy of Võ Thị Thanh Truyền

Despite the fear of being infected again, Truyền continued to act as a mother to the two children.

She said: “I decided to stay to take care of the children because I used to be infected with the virus, experienced and understood treatment process so it is easier for me than my colleagues to take care of COVID patients.”

She said upholding an optimistic attitude was very important to COVID patients.

To fight the virus, she encouraged other patients to improve their fitness and instructed them to clean their areas. Sometimes she forgot she herself was also a patient and was ready to help and share difficulties with any patient in need.

“There were six healthcare workers infected with COVID-19. All of them are like me, always take care of other patients because of our responsibility to our work,” she said.

“We hope our work will reduce stress on patients. Out assistance in the quarantine areas also reduces infection risks for other colleagues out there.”

Lê Bảo Trung, 29, a COVID-19 patient, was worried when he spread the virus to his wife who is six-months' pregnant.

“At the quarantine site, Truyền inspired everyone. Without her psychological assistance, I might have collapsed. Now everything is stable. Myself and my family members have recovered,” he said.

Dr Nguyễn Đăng Trung, director of Đắk Mil District’s healthcare centre, said the centre treated 62 COVID-19 patients including four children aged seven months to 15 years old.

The successful treatment was thanks to the efforts of the medical forces including nurse Võ Thị Thanh Truyền.

After her recovery, Truyền has returned to work. Every day she still encourages patients because she said her happiness was to be able to see smiles of recovered patients. — VNS