Michael V. updates on COVID-19 battle

The comedian, whose moniker is Bitoy, said he started getting suspicious after losing his sense of smell, and resorted to isolating himself.

He announced through his his vlog post titled "#BitoyStory29: Positive," baring that he had been experiencing flu-like symptoms since he made his last vlog.

Halfway through the 14-minute video, Bitoy showed himself taking a swab test on July 15. Towards the end, he can be seen consulting a doctor for confirmation of his test result three days later. He showed a screenshot of the email which read: "SARS-COV-2 (causative agent of COVID-19) viral RNA detected."

"That's it, positive, just as what we suspected early on," Bitoy told his viewers, right after talking to his doctor.

Michael V. recently gave a positive update on his health condition after he announced over a couple of weeks ago that he has tested positive for COVID-19.

In the “Chika Minute” segment of GMA News "24 Oras Weekend" on August 1, the comedian also known as Bitoy said he is getting better now and his sense of smell is improving.

"'Yung pang-amoy ang nakakatawa, kasi may pang-amoy na ako... So hindi pa rin siya 100% pero at least," the Kapuso comedian said.

"Nu'ng isang araw nagluluto ng hamburger 'yung kasambahay namin, naamoy ko from this room. Pero nu'ng isinserve na sa akin, nu'ng binigay na sa akin, hindi ko na maamoy from this distance. So magulo talaga.”

Kapuso comedian Michael V. in his latest vlog shared that he has been feeling a lot better lately and disclosed how he may have contracted the novel coronavirus.

He noted that during the filming of the vlog, he was already nine days straight of not showing any COVID-19 symptom.

Michael V. disclosed that he and his family traveled to Batangas in early July, but none of his family members got infected. He also shared that one of their helpers also tested positive, but his children, who are the ones in contact with the helper most of the time, tested negative.

“Ang duda ko deliveries. Pero FYI, lahat ng deliveries na dumadating, hindi nakakapasok dito sa studio ng hindi sina-sanitize,” the comedian clarified. (My guess is deliveries. But for your information, all the deliveries I had did not enter this studio without getting sanitized.)

Michael V. also disclosed that another bad part of having COVID-19 is the “stigma” against patients, saying he himself got harassed once.

“Para kang tinatakan na ‘reject’ ng lipunan. Kahit naka-full PPE [personal protective equipment] ka, iniiwasan ka ng mga tao, kinatatakutan, pinandidirihan,” he said.

“Ang masama ‘yung iba hinihiya o hina-harass ka pa. Hindi ko na lang ide-detalye, pero kami mismong ng pamilya ko naka-experience kami ng harassment,” the comedian added.

(The worst thing is that others shame or harass you. I will not go into details, but my family and I experienced harassment.)

Michael V. explained that while this may be one of the reasons why others with symptoms choose not to get tested, it is still an individual’s responsibility to get tested and follow health protocols.