This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Pastor Robert Burale's COVID-19 Battle: A Heartfelt Plea from His Hospital Bed ¶
On July 1, 2020, Pastor Robert Burale, a flamboyant Kenyan pastor, announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. He was devastated, angry, and scared for his life.
As he fought for his life, Burale shared a touching video from his hospital bed, begging his followers to take precautions to avoid being in his position. In the video, he could be seen lying on his bed, weak and having a lot of difficulties with his breathing, even though he was using a ventilator machine.
"I beg you, do not get to a place that you have to buy oxygen. My oxygen levels are getting better, bless you all," he said in the video.
Burale hoped his condition could be a lesson to those still in doubt, cautioning those traveling upcountry to be extra careful. He noted that he had finished recording a Facebook programme when he started struggling with his breathing and immediately rushed to Nairobi Hospital.
He described the tough environment he encountered in the ward and was also scared to see grown men fighting for their lives. Burale spent the next couple of days fighting for his life and noted he was responding well to treatment, thanking God and the doctors for his recovery.
