Photo by Press Office of Dagestan’s Head \TASS via Getty Images
The UFC lightweight champion revealed that his father has recovered from the coronavirus but admits that the “rehabilitation period will be long and tough.’
It appears as though Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov — father and longtime mentor of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov — is beginning to turn the corner towards recovery.
According to Khabib, his father remains hospitalized but is beginning to show signs of improvement, mainly that he is no longer infected with the coronavirus.
“His condition is still serious, he’s still in intensive care,” Khabib said during an interview on Russian TV (h/t RT Sports).”The coronavirus itself is behind him, but the virus has had consequences for his kidneys and his heart. As for the virus, there’s no need to worry, only about the other consequences.”
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, 57, was transported from his native Dagestan to a military hospital in Moscow in May after falling ill with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms, which was later confirmed to be COVID-19. As his condition worsened, the renowned coach suffered a stroke and underwent surgery before being placed in a medically induced coma. And despite waking from the coma a week later, he was reportedly unable to speak and remained in critical condition.
Abdulmanap was later placed on life support after his condition worsened significantly. He remained unconscious and was unable to breathe without medical support. And while he remains connected to medical support systems, he is now conscious and able to recognize his own son.
“I visit him, he recognizes me, but there’s no communication because he’s connected to [medical] devices. Every day they let me in, I spend half an hour [with him], I hold his hand. ”When I ask: ‘Father, do you recognize me?’ He gestures and lets me know.”
Though Khabib is hopeful about his father’s progress and eventual recovery, he admitted that the “rehabilitation period will be long and tough” because of the damage the virus did to his heat and kidneys.
“It takes time, because the consequences are very difficult”
Russia has more than 600,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including nearly 8400 fatalities.