Healthy Royal Melbourne Hospital nurse Emily Morris shares the unusual COVID-19 symptom

NewsColony
Healthy Royal Melbourne Hospital nurse Emily Morris shares the unusual COVID-19 symptom

A young, fit and healthy nurse has revealed she suffered from an unusual symptom before testing positive for COVID-19.

Emily Morris, who works in the emergency department at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, said she felt a strange pain in her lower legs a week and a half ago.

Despite working on her feet for hours on end, the 32-year-old told ABC’s 7.30 Report the aching was different to what she’s ever experienced.

Scroll down for video 

Emily Morris, who works as a nurse in the emergency department at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, has described the unusual symptom she suffered before she tested positive for COVID-19 as she urged Victorians to wear a face mask in public

‘I was at work when I developed some aching to my lower legs and I spoke to my manager and she got me tested straight away,’ she said.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough and tiredness while aches and pains are less common, in which Ms Morris experienced in her case.

Ms Morris said she self-isolated herself until she got her result 24 hours later, which confirmed she had coronavirus.

‘I was absolutely devastated. I think that as a health care worker, there is a little bit of shame and stigma around being diagnosed as COVID positive,’ she said.

‘I’m young, I’m fit, I’m healthy. I was doing the right things and I got coronavirus.’

Ms Morris is among more than 700 frontline workers in Victoria who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

She is now isolating in a government apartment so she doesn’t risk exposing herself to her housemates.

‘I feel terrible. I haven’t felt like eating and have difficulty keeping down fluids,’ she said.

Despite working on her feet for hours on end, the 32-year-old health care worker told ABC’s 7.30 Report the aching in her lower legs was different to what she’s ever experienced. Just 24 hours after getting tested, her result confirmed she had contracted coronavirus 

The nurse – who worked directly with COVID-positive patients – said she suspects she contracted the virus in the community. At work she wears an N95 mask, a face shield on top, hair coverings and a full-length gown (pictured in her work uniform)

The nurse – who worked directly with COVID-positive patients – said she suspects she contracted the virus in the community.

‘I work in the respiratory emergency department, which means that I wear an N95 mask. Then on top of that, I wear a face shield, hair coverings as well as a full length gown,’ she said.

‘Considering the high quality of the PPE that we have and the procedures that we have in place, I am very certain that this was a community acquired transmission.’

By sharing her story, she wanted to urge Australians to follow social distancing measures and wash hands regularly to minimise the spread of COVID-19, especially in light of the recent surge in cases in Victoria.  

‘The discomfort that you think you feel wearing [a mask] does not compare to the discomfort that you will experience if you test COVID-positive,’ Ms Morris warned in a video posted on social media. 

‘To become short of breath that even walking from the couch to the toilet is a mammoth effort.

‘Wear a mask, wash your hands, engage in social distancing. There is nothing more inconvenient and uncomfortable than catching corona. I can tell you. I know from experience.’

Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 

COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalisation.

Most common symptoms:

• fever
• dry cough
• tiredness 

Less common symptoms:

• aches and pains 
• sore throat 
• diarrhoea 
• conjunctivitis 
• headache 
• loss of taste or smell
• a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes

Serious symptoms:

• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath 
• chest pain or pressure 
• loss of speech or movement

Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.

On average it takes five to six days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

Source: Australian Government Department of Health

<!—->Advertisement

Source: Daily Mail Australia | News Colony

The post Healthy Royal Melbourne Hospital nurse Emily Morris shares the unusual COVID-19 symptom appeared first on NewsColony.
NewsColony

source https://newscolony.com/healthy-royal-melbourne-hospital-nurse-emily-morris-shares-the-unusual-covid-19-symptom/