Staff Celebrates Discharge of 29-Year-Old
After 65-Day ICU Stay

Hospital workers line the hallways to celebrate the discharge of recovered COVID-19 patient Nora D. Martinez.

Hospital workers line the hallways to celebrate the discharge of
recovered COVID-19 patient Nora D. Martinez.

November 9, 2020

Watch as balloons fill the air and cheers ring out as masked hospital workers line the hallways at Doctors Hospital of Laredo. The reason for this heartfelt celebration: The discharge of 29-year-old recovered COVID-19 patient Nora D. Martinez.

ICU Manager Hilda Carter summed up the atmosphere best: "Our team is overjoyed and wishing her the best in her continued recovery."

The now-recovered Martinez spent 65 days in the Intensive Care Unit with COVID-19. "We are so happy to see Ms. Martinez finally going home from her long stay in the hospital," Carter adds.

Preventive Measures

The CDC recommends individuals and families follow everyday preventive measures.

  • Social distancing – avoiding crowds and crowded spaces, avoiding handshaking and hugging, deliberately staying at least six feet away from other people, and replacing in-person visits with remote check-ins using technology.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60 – 95 percent alcohol.
  • Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
  • Stay home when you are sick with respiratory disease symptoms.