I'm sorry to hear you are ill, but none of this changes my previous advice. I remain confident you do not have ARS, whose symptoms cannot start as soon as yours did. And as discussed last time, other viruses (Covid, influenza, bad colds) of course are FAR more common than ARS, even in sexually active and potentially exposed persons. And don't forget you had a Covid exposure, since your partner tested positive for it. So your GP almost certainly is right in his initial diagnosis, although I'm surprised he did not advise testing for Covid or flu. (Did you tell him about your sex partner testing positve for Covid?)

To convince yourself, follow the GP's advice and get tested for HIV. Avoiding the test because you're in a country that deports HIV infected person is not a valid reason to avoid testing. First, you can be sure your test will be negative, so nothing will happen. Second and most important, if someone DOES have HIV, they have to be treated immediately:  recent research and universal medical advice is that the long term prognosis of HIV infection is much better the sooner treatment is started. So infected people need to leave UAE anyway in order to have comprehensive medical evaluation and to start anti-HIV treatment. Delaying even two weeks can reduce the chance for long term survival.

So just do it. I'll be happy to comment again when you have had an HIV test and let me know fhe result. Also test for covid. I will have nothing more to say on this thread unless and until you report your HIV test result, and preferably a covid result as well.

In the meantime, re-read all my comments in your previous thread, in detail. And do your best to understand, accept and believe the reasoned, science-based, reasuring advice I am trying to give.

HHH, MD

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the tests done. Most of the labs around here do not have HIV tests. But I will be traveling by the end of this month. Back to my home country where I can get tested. I did get better eventually. But now, three weeks in from the exposure, I started getting really sick again. Terrible sore throat, runny nose, joint pain, frequent headaches. Etc etc. Since the time period is correct for the symptoms to start, it's worrying me more. I'll have to wait till the end of this month to get tested. My personal doctor initially had told me that its highly unlikely that it's HIV. But my mind is still not convinced. Since these symptoms come again and again, it really worries me. I did have constant re activations of EBV around 2021. Not sure if its that either. My doctors were not able to help me cure that for good. I did develop Chronic Fatigue Syndrome from that later. So I'm conflicted whether its just another EBV/CFS reactivation or ARS Symptoms.

Acute HIV doesn't cause sore throat or nasal congestion. We're at the peak of cold and flu season, and almost certainly you just have another such infection, or covid. I agree with your doctor:  despite your concern, there is no possibility you have HIV. (EBV also is not a likely explanation. The main symptoms of both ARS, EBV, and similar viral infections do not fit very well with your description.) You can expect a negative HIV test result after you return home; stay mellow about HIV in the meantime!

That concludes this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful and that you will be able to move on with no further worries about HIV. Keep working with your doctors about other explanation(s) if your symptoms continue. Best wishes and stay safe.