A three-year-old girl and her mother, a nurse, were reunited after 21 days in Karnataka's Belagavi district on Saturday.

The mother was deputed on duty at the district hospital, that is treating coronavirus patients and suspected cases. She was later kept in a quarantine facility before being able to meet her daughter.

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The city witnessed an emotional reunification of mother and child at Bhadkal Galli where the family resides. A jubilant Aishwarya ran to embrace her teary-eyed mother Sugandha Korpur, who had missed her just as much.

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The district until Saturday witnessed 42 positive COVID-19 cases including 1 death and 1 recovery. Doctors and paramedical staff are posted on duty at the district hospital, designated for the treatment of COVID-19 cases, for a week and later kept in quarantine for 14 days at a hotel near the hospital and sent home after their samples test negative. This is to prevent their family from being infected.

Sugandha was posted on COVID-19 duty in the last week of March after which she was in quarantine in the hotel opposite the hospital. Aishwarya, not used to living away from her mother, had been crying for glimpse of her. Her father, Santosh, and grandmother, Vimal, were taking care of her, but could not meet her demands to stay with the mother.

In the previous week, Aishwarya and Sugandha, along with Sugandha's mother, saw each other from a distance and wept. They were unable to come closer to keep up with the COVID-19 quarantine protocols. Santosh Korpur, father of the child and Sugandha’s husband, had brought Aishwarya on a motorcycle to the hotel to ensure she sees the mother to make her stop crying.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa who had seen the mother and child cry on television channels had spoken to Sugandha over phone and instilled confidence.

After spending 14 days in quarantine, Sugandha returned home on Saturday. After their teary reunion, the child consoled the mother by wiping her tears and flashing her innocent.

Sugandha told DH that she felt relieved on being reunited with Aishwarya as she had been missing the child and it was first instance she had been away from her daughter and family for such a long period. She said her pain had been eased.

She said that she was again being posted for duty in the hospital from April 21, but hoped that it was some other ward so she could come home everyday. She added that despite rotation there was a possibility of being posted in the Covid-19 ward again, but now she would be more mentally prepared for it.