A healthy 29-year-old man struck down with the coronavirus is urging other young people not to assume they are immune to the infection.
Daryl Doblados woke on Thursday with a sore throat and aches all over his body, which quickly progressed into a fever and severe shortness of breath.
Within 15 minutes of calling the non-emergency number NHS 111, an ambulance arrived at his home in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.
After a series of blood tests and X-rays, Doblados was diagnosed with a mild case of COVID-19, a disease that can be triggered by the coronavirus.
Now in isolation at home, the father-of-two is still breathless and feels like his “lungs are filling with smoke or liquid”.
Speaking to other young people, Doblados said: “Don’t take this for granted, it’s really not a joke.”
His warning comes after Boris Johnson urged all Britons, regardless of their age or health, to avoid social contact.
Images have surfaced of busy parks and transport systems, suggesting certain members of the public are flouting the guidelines.
Early research suggests the coronavirus is mild in four out of five cases, with the vast majority of deaths occurring among the elderly or already ill.
Nevertheless, all Britons have been urged to stay indoors to prevent the virus spreading to the most vulnerable.
“For healthy young people out there, do what you can to make sure you don’t spread the infection all around,” said Doblados.
“It’s going to spread if we don’t start taking it seriously and staying indoors.”
Doblados was rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where he was diagnosed eight hours later.
As well as being told he had mild COVID-19, doctors also spotted signs of tonsillitis, which is thought to have triggered his sore throat.
