Juwon Olorunnipa, a UK-based Nigerian singer better know as
Jumabee, has narrated his near-death battle with COVID-19, adding that he had
contemplated suicide.
The 31-year-old musician took to his Instagram page on
Sunday to recount how he developed symptoms of the virus but thought it was malaria
since he had just arrived the UK from Nigeria.
With UK hospitals already overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases,
Jumabee said a team of paramedics, who came to his aid, had suggested that he
sought the services of private medical facilities.
Jumabee said he would later black out due to the delay in
getting medical help after suffering fever, body pain, and difficulties in
breathing that left him gasping for air.
“Two weeks ago, I developed a high fever, severe headache,
and body pains. I thought it was malaria, being that I had just come in from
Nigeria so I started treating malaria,” he wrote.
“But, three days later, my health got worse. I lost
appetite, became very weak. I couldn’t even sit up let alone stand or walk. At
this point, I was thinking, ‘hope this is not COVID-19’ understanding that the
UK was a high burden zone.
“I wasn’t coughing at the time, so I tried to convince
myself it was probably a bacterial infection. I started taking antibiotics,
along with paracetamol and a lot of water but still no improvement.
“We called the ambulance consistently for 3 days but there
was no response and even the times they responded, they said they were very
busy and could not come. On the third day, they finally showed up.
“I was already battling for my life. I could no longer
breathe properly. I was gasping for breath. Just before the doctors arrived, I
collapsed. I was literally gone. My friends had to perform CPR on me.
“When the paramedics finally came, they confirmed it was
COVID-19 but said they couldn’t take me to the hospital because all the
hospitals were filled up and the NHS was overly overwhelmed.
“They said even if they took me to the hospital, I would
most likely get worse because of the conditions there. So they recommended I
stayed at home and fight for my life.
“After they left, I started having suicidal thoughts,
nothing mattered anymore.
“I got even worse, cough started alongside severe diarrhea.
My skin began to peel. Something just had to be done. With help, we found a
private hospital, after days of search and I was stabilized.
“On returning home after testing negative, I looked at myself
in the mirror and couldn’t believe my eyes. I had lost so much weight. I
started crying because I had thought that was the end for me.”
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of over 10,000 people in the
United Kingdom with more than 84,000 cases confirmed.
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