Barthel, an athletic 42-year-old Luxembourg resident, was one of the first people in the Grand Duchy to contract the novel virus. “It’s like a severe flu,” she initially described the illness after experiencing the symptoms. She was hit hard by the virus and ravaged by fever, cough, pneumonia. The acute phase of the illness lasted 6 weeks for Barthel. Months on, she still struggles with lasting health consequences.
Barthel, who has a video blog about the illness, explains that she is permanently tired ever since she contracted the virus in March. Occasionally, she also suffers from breathing difficulties. Going for a run used to be a pleasant leisure activity for her. Today, it is a tremendous effort for her to go for a jog.
“My life is not the same as before,” she explains. “It has deteriorated because I’m just not fit anymore. [...] It took an extreme physical toll to be ill for almost six weeks,” she adds. Today, she stresses that the infection has been much more severe than a flu.
Video in Luxembourgish:
Barthel now drinks 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day to overcome the constant feeling of exhaustion. She rarely drank coffee before her infection. And yet, she explains, she still does not really taste the hot beverage. Around 10 days after she experienced her first symptoms, she lost the senses of smell and taste. “The senses slowly came back over a 2-month period but three weeks ago [Barthel contracted the virus 4 months ago], the senses of smell and taste disappeared completely again,” she explains.
Barthel is worried about the recent surge in cases. She recommends to everyone to respect the precautionary measures as rigorously as possible.
CHL hospital recorded more than 200 virus hospitalisations within the last months. Doctors are regularly carrying out follow-up checks with patients that contracted the virus.
According to Dr Gil Wirtz, lung specialist and head of the pneumology department, patients often experience health consequences for several weeks. Long-lasting lung damage if also possible if the patient in question suffered from a severe pneumonia.
Video in Luxembourgish:
