Abdulfatah Oladeinde
Two victims of the coronavirus, Patricia Dang and Leon Chase have given glimpses into how it feels like to have the disease.
Dang, a 17-year-old student of Music who is based in the United Kingdom and Leon Chase, 47, a New York City, US-based Video Editor shared their experiences on the question and answer platform, Quora.
Dang tested positive on Sunday and guessed either she got infected while attending a music concert at the O2 London or from her schoolmate.
She shares her experience: “I have tested positive on Sunday, so I think I can say about my experience now that’s it’s worsened quite a bit.
“I’m 17, so it may not be the same as others have experienced as I understand it is something that affects everyone differently depending on their immune system, age, etc.
“I went to a concert a week before symptoms showed, at the concert, there was a man coughing constantly in front of me, so I can guess who I got it from haha. I was wearing an N-95 mask but had no eye cover so I’m guessing that’s how I caught it. I can’t be sure as the next day in school my friend was horribly coughing who is also in self-isolation.
“The day before I started feeling symptoms, I had a horrible stomach ache and was showing stomach bug symptoms which isn’t something the media mentions. That night, I was walking up my stairs and despite not feeling dizzy, I kept losing balance and falling quite a lot. I just blamed it on tiredness as a way not to worry my mother, but I have to admit, I found it quite peculiar.
“The next day, I had a very clammy feeling everywhere, with a higher temperature than normal and the beginnings of a dry cough. The night before I had also experienced some chest pains. As the days went by, I felt very weak and had some back pains as well.
“Nothing really changed except the cough getting worse and last night where I had overwhelming anxiety and felt very uncomfortable, I was finding it hard to breathe and was weeping all over the place. Not the prettiest sight. This morning, I woke up feeling like I couldn’t breathe easier than other days. I’m wearing a mask around the house now to avoid any spreading to my mum who hasn’t shown any symptoms.
EDIT: “I forgot to mention, I have been eating lots and lots. However, I have lost 2kg in the last couple days so if you do come into contact with this, eat as much as possible!
“My throat feels horrible now and I have very dry skin as well as all the other symptoms I’ve mentioned. If anything changes, I’ll update.
Update (next day): My symptoms haven’t severed today and no more weight has been lost (luckily) due to my mum and one of the comments explaining it could be dehydration, I have now realised it was haha. It’s still a bit difficult to breathe.
However, it is understandable due to the nature of the virus. If anything gets worse, I’ll be sure to call 111 and if you are living in the UK with severe symptoms, make sure to call 111 too!! The cough hasn’t progressed but is still here and everything seems relatively the same except that I feel less weak so this is an improvement! Thank you for all the lovely comments and recommendations:) Stay safe and healthy.”
Chase while narrating his own experience believed he was likely exposed to the virus on March 3.
He relates his ordeal further: “I have actually tested positive for Covid-19. I was most likely exposed on March 3rd, became ill about a week later, and just received my official test results today, March 17th.
“Coronavirus feels like the most devastating flu I have ever had. Intense bouts of fever, alternating with the kind of chills that, even with three sweaters on, make your teeth chatter uncontrollably.
“I’m “lucky”, relatively speaking because my temperature never went higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but even then, it felt like my body was burning up. Plus, a general feeling in my head that I can only describe as “heavy” or “flu-ish” that makes every movement and activity feel like a massive chore.
“A few days later, I developed a very annoying dry cough. But again, I am lucky because there have been no chest pains or breathing problems, which would be a reason to be hospitalized.
“My appetite has been nearly nonexistent—I am normally a big eater, and it’s only been in the past couple days that I’ve been able to make myself eat anything. Even then, it feels very gross, and I can only consume very small amounts.
“Fortunately, I’ve been able to manage my symptoms just by taking Tylenol, and my condition appears to be improving. The worst part, though, is being stuck at home but feeling too sick and exhausted to actually do anything except sit around and cough.
“As I said, I’m one of the lucky ones: According to the doctors, I will most likely be fine in another week.
“But trust me, people: This virus is real. You do NOT want it. And you do not want to be the one who gave it to someone else. Chances are, many of you are carrying it already, even if you don’t have any symptoms. (I most likely had it for at least a week before ever feeling sick.) Stay home, and wash your damn hands!
EDIT: I’m sure a lot of people are wondering how I was able to get tested. I found out that one of the ushers at a Broadway show I had attended tested positive for the virus. Because of this potentially direct exposure, combined with the fact that I had all the symptoms, and tested negative for flu, I was okayed for the Covid-19 test. I don’t think this is right, but at least here in New York City, that is how they are doing it.
“Also, I am 47 years old, in decent physical shape with no preexisting health conditions.
EDIT 2: One more time, for the tinfoil-hat crowd: I tested negative for both types of influenza. I do not have the flu. Trust me, I wish that was all I had right now. But it’s not. I have absolutely nothing to gain by telling my story, except to educate others about exactly what I’ve been going through.
“A lot of you are obviously scared by what’s happening in the world right now, and that’s understandable. But believing that your armchair assessment of my symptoms is somehow more valid than actual scientific CDC tests conducted by a qualified doctor is ridiculous, and it’s very dangerous to others.
The fact that you somehow think you know better doesn’t make it true. So stop it. You sound like a bunch of whining babies. Put your big-boy pants on, and start treating this like the real issue that it is, before you literally become another statistic.”
