Humera Nagori, 21, was hoping this year would pan out differently. Having undergone a heart transplant surgery in February 2019, the third-year BCom student was forced to take a break from academics, as she had been advised complete bed rest for a year. She was to resume college this year, but when the pandemic broke out in the city, her home-confinement was extended indefinitely, given her vulnerable condition. To add to this, she tested positive for COVID-19 on June 11.

"I had been wearing a mask since the surgery to avoid getting any infection. But the precautions weren't enough. Early in June, I started feeling nauseous and had breathing difficulties," said Nagori, who tested positive for the virus, soon after. "I had experienced the challenges of being admitted to hospital once and I didn't want to do it again. Since I had mild symptoms, my doctors advised me to get treated at home," she added. Nagori is among the many COVID-19 patients in the city, who opted for home care services being offered by private hospitals, to help deal with the large volume of cases, and the shortage of beds in both, government as well as private institutions. The services are currently available to patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.