Her name was Lini Puthussery.
She was 31 years old. A nurse at the Perambra Taluk Hospital in Kozhikode Kerala. She had been working there for six years.
She had two sons. Ritul was five years old. Sidharth was two years old.
In May 2018 the Nipah virus arrived in Kerala. Two brothers and a relative were brought to the hospital with symptoms nobody had seen before.
Lini was on night duty when they arrived. She cared for them through the night.
They died soon after. Confirmed Nipah positive.
By Friday Lini herself had fallen ill.
She was shifted to the ICU at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
When she learned she had contracted the Nipah virus she asked the hospital not to allow her two sisters to visit. She did not want them exposed.
From the ICU she wrote a note to her husband Sajeesh.
“Sajeesh I am almost on my way. I don’t think I will be able to see you. Sorry. Please look after our little ones and take them to the Gulf. They should not be alone like our father. Lots of love.”
She died on May 21, 2018.
Her body was cremated quickly to prevent the spread of infection. Her family could not say a proper goodbye.
She did not hesitate when the patients arrived.
She did not ask who would care for her sons if she fell ill.
She showed up for her shift and did her job.
Today is International Nurses Day.
Her name was Lini Puthussery. She deserves to be remembered.