'Thank you for praying for me': Boy with rare inflammatory syndrome linked to Covid-19 leaves hospital

'Thank you for praying for me': Boy with rare inflammatory syndrome linked to Covid-19 leaves hospital
In a video on Facebook, Muhammad Ali Zafir Mohamed Azmi, four, was visibly more energetic than in previous photos of him in hospital.
PHOTO: Facebook/Nur Hudah Alwi, The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - A four-year-old boy who developed a rare and severe inflammatory syndrome linked to Covid-19 in children was discharged from hospital last Wednesday (Nov 17).

Muhammad Ali Zafir Mohamed Azmi can be seen thanking well-wishers in a short video taken by his aunt Nur Hudah Alwi. She and Ali Zafir's mother Marilyn Cacanindin shared the video on Facebook on Sunday.

Little Ali Zafir, who was visibly more energetic than in previous photos of him in hospital, said in the video: "Thank you everyone for doing the prayers for me."

He then flashed a wide grin and made a heart-shaped gesture.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/nurhudahalwi/posts/10159237492072771?__cft__[0]=AZVEJUlnO51-qywpw14wAB4le6SblRs7y5ACEIcX_IVlG9EZauMXyIQ[/embed]

Ms Cacanindin, 39, told The Straits Times on Monday that her son remains on medication despite being allowed to go home.

"He still has to take oral medication and an injection in the morning and at night. He (is) still fragile," she added.

Ms Hudah wrote on Facebook: "Till today, people are still asking about (Ali Zafir). "My lil' fighter (is) still fighting through and recovering slowly with all the wounds."

[[nid:552194]]

She also asked people to continue praying for him.

Ali Zafir was admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital on Nov 1, and was transferred on the same day to intensive care, where he was intubated for a week. He was subsequently transferred to the high-dependency ward after his condition improved.

He had seemingly recovered from Covid-19 three weeks before his condition took a turn for the worse and he was diagnosed with multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Associate Professor Kenneth Mak, Singapore's director of medical services, said at a press conference on Nov 15 by the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 that a sixth MIS-C case had been detected in Singapore.

MIS-C is a condition where the child's immune system overreacts after a Covid-19 infection, typically two to eight weeks later.

Different body parts, including the heart, lungs, kidney, brain and eyes, can become inflamed due to this overreaction - leading to severe symptoms such a breathing difficulties.

This article was first published in The Straits TimesPermission required for reproduction.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.