Girls creator Lena Dunham says she was diagnosed with coronavirus in March and is still feeling its aftereffects. The actor-writer took to Instagram to share her "Covid Story" and detailed her experience battling the virus as someone who suffers from chronic illness.
"Seeing the carelessness with which so many in the United States are treating social distancing … I feel compelled to be honest about the impact this illness has had on me, in the hopes that personal stories allow us to see the humanity in what can feel like abstract situations," Dunham wrote. The actor said the symptoms started with "achy joints", followed by a "crushing fatigue" and a "fever of 102"
"Suddenly my body simply… revolted. The nerves in my feet burned and muscles wouldn't seem to do their job. My hands were numb. I couldn't tolerate loud noises… "I couldn't sleep but I couldn't wake up. I lost my sense of taste and smell. A hacking cough, like a metronome keeping time. Inability to breathe after simple tasks like getting a glass of water. Random red rashes… This went on for 21 days … that blended together like a rave gone wrong," she added.
Dunham said she was treated by a doctor in her home and she did not have to be hospitalised. "This kind of hands-on attention is a privilege that is far too unusual in our broken healthcare system," she wrote.
After a month, she tested negative for the virus but is still experiencing health issues that she "did not have" before contracting COVID-19. "I know I am lucky; I have amazing friends and family, exceptional healthcare and a flexible job where I can ask for the support I need to perform… BUT not everybody has such luck, and I am posting this because of those people. I wish I could hug them all," Dunham said.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has topped 17 million. According to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, the US leads the count with 4.5 million, followed by 2.6 million in Brazil and 1.6 million in India.
The US also has the highest number of deaths with 153,314, followed by 92,475 in Brazil and 46,688 in the UK.
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