Mervin, who ended up spending some 14 days in a New York hospital, spoke to Stabroek Weekend in an interview about his experiences with COVID-19, which include his 36-year-old son being declared dead while being treated for the virus before later startling a health official when he woke up.

Mervin’s eldest son, who does not live with him, was tested on Friday, May 5th, at Brookdale Hospital, and received his positive results on Monday, May 11th.

The next day, around noon, Mervin said, he called the hospital for a status update and was told that his son was discharged.

It was only after further discussion, and when he realised that the hospital had thrown out the personal belongings he had taken with him the night before, did Mervin’s son realize he must have been clinically dead for some time prior to the doctor declaring him legally dead at 3.47 am.

On a follow-up visit to the hospital, Mervin said, the doctor told his son that he has what is known as Lazarus syndrome or Lazarus gene.