Durban North resident speaks about Covid-19 recovery

IT has been a long road to recovery for Durban North resident, Sarah Ferguson, who was diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus in March this year. While Ferguson tested negative just two weeks later, complications brought about by the novel coronavirus led to a prolonged period of recovery.

Ferguson, a conservationist who was the first person to swim the entire perimeter of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) developed post-viral pneumonia and myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle) after testing negative for Covid-19.

In all, the conservationist and physiotherapist took three months to fully recover.

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“I feel fantastic now but it has been a long road to feeling this way. Shortly after I tested negative for Covid-19 I still wasn’t feeling a hundred per cent and initially I thought I’d contracted bilharzia because the symptoms were so similar. My doctor did an x-ray and a ECG (electrocardiogram) test and found that I’d developed post-viral pneumonia and myocarditis. My symptoms throughout my recovery process was low energy levels and feeling extremely lethargic. My chest was also tight and breathing wasn’t easy.

“I lost more than four kilograms because I also lost my appetite. In all it took nine weeks for me to fully recover and begin exercising again. I’ve taken it very slow and just increase day by day but I’m listening to my body and acting accordingly. I did feel I would recover but there’s always that lingering thought at the back of your mind, the what if feeling. I’m just grateful to all the people who were looking out for me,” she explained.

Ferguson urged residents to take this strain of the coronavirus seriously.

In other news: Lifesaving clubs across KZN receive emergency response packs

“You have to take it seriously. Covid-19 is something to respect. Whether you get it mildly or severely, my advice is to listen to the experts, wear your mask, and sanitize. One of the main reasons why we need to adhere to those fundamental rules is because we need to take precautions not only for ourselves but for others as well. It’s so easy to panic at this stage because this is unprecedented but I’m urging everyone to follow the rule of law,” she said.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting

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