Norfolk ICU doctor says he still experiences coronavirus symptoms three months after falling ill

PHE Midlands said it is monitoring a coronavirus outbreak at a vegetable farm in Mathon
AP

An ICU doctor is calling on the Government to investigate the long term effects of coronavirus after he continued to experience symptoms of the disease 13 weeks after he first fell ill.

Dr Jake Suett was working on the frontline of the Covid-19 crisis at a NHS hospital in Norfolk when he started feeling ill on March 20.

The 31-year-old doctor said he had no underlying health conditions and regularly exercised.

But thirteen weeks after having a fever and shortness of breath, Dr Suett says he is unable to work due to continued symptoms of breathlessness, chest pain and a high temperature.

He told Sky News: "I still get out of breath doing the washing up or walking around the house.

"I spent three days just gasping for breath in bed, I really thought I was going to die, it was very distressing.

"Things have improved since then, but not much and only very, very slowly. I've had gastrointestinal symptoms and shooting pains in my hands and feet too."

Dr Suett was unable to receive a coronavirus test when he first fell ill, and gave a negative result four weeks later despite still experiencing symptoms.

He said: "There are thousands of people who have just been left to suffer frightening symptoms for months.

"I got tested after four weeks because I work for the NHS. It came back negative, but I've still never been so short of breath in my life. I kept thinking, this is not normal, this is not okay, someone needs to be following this."

According to data from Public Health England,19 out of 20 coronavirus patients recover without needing hospital treatment.

A growing Facebook Group for people who suffer from "Long Covid" has seen people from around the country come together to share their experiences of fatigue and shortness of breath.

Dr Suett hopes that more awareness can be raised about possible long term effects of the disease ahead of lockdown measures easing on July 4.

"I can understand people are excited about lockdown easing, but I wish more people knew about us," he told Sky News.

"We can't just bury our heads in the sand. We have a group of people saying this is happening and we don't want to increase the size of that group if we can help it."

On social media Dr Suett urged people to write to their MPs about the issue of long term coronavirus symptoms.

He specifically called on the Government to establish a scientific approach to the study of patients undergoing prolonged Covid-19 symptoms, to consider the medical, psychological and financial support that may be required for patients and to investigate possible treatments.

The ICU doctor said on Twitter: "As a doctor, I feel that I have a responsibility to help bring #LongCovid to the attention of politicians and the medical and scientific communities."

It comes after Labour activist Callum O'Dwyer spoke out about how he had to move in with his parents as he suffered from "chronic fatigue" after experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.

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