Climate change activist Greta Thunberg says she hasn't been tested but believes it's likely she had coronavirus COVID-19.
The 2019 Time Person of the Year, who rose to fame for her speech to world leaders at the United Nations and for inspiring children and teenagers around the world to protest for greater action to combat climate change, wrote on Instagram that she had the symptoms of COVID-19 and had been travelling around central Europe.
"Around ten days ago I started feeling some symptoms, exactly the same time as my father - who travelled with me from Brussels. I was feeling tired, had shivers, a sore throat and coughed. My dad experienced the same symptoms, but much more intense and with a fever," she said in an Instagram post.
"In Sweden you can not test yourself for COVID-19 unless you’re in need of emergent medical treatment. Everyone feeling ill are told to stay at home and isolate themselves."
Thunberg said while she hadn't been tested it was "extremely likely" she had the illness - which has infected nearly 400,000 people worldwide and killed 17,000 - considering her symptoms and travels.
Europe has become a hotspot for the illness with tens of thousands of cases recorded across multiple countries. In Belgium, there is more than 4000, while in Sweden the number is at least 2200.
Thunberg said she has now almost completely recovered, but had a warning for others: "I almost didn’t feel ill. My last cold was much worse than this! Had it not been for someone else having the virus simultaneously I might not even have suspected anything. Then I would just have thought I was feeling unusually tired with a bit of a cough."
She said that's what makes the illness "dangerous". Young people may not notice any symptoms or only have mild symptoms that they don't recognise are signs of the virus.
"We who don’t belong to a risk group have an enormous responsibility, our actions can be the difference between life and death for many others."
The activist called on people to stay at home, take care of each other, and take advice from authorities.
The three main symptoms of the respiratory illness are fever, shortness of breath and a cough. However, because, as Thunberg said, these symptoms can be mild or may be seen to be just signs of the common cold, scientists predict the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide may be dramatically higher than that officially recorded.
In Italy, where there are 63,000 cases, officials believe the real number of ill people could be ten times higher.
What we know about coronavirus
The World Health Organization (WHO) was first notified of cases of the virus SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) in Wuhan, China on December 31. It was identified as a coronavirus on January 7 and can spread via human-to-human transmission. It causes the coronavirus COVID-19 illness.
The virus is primarily spread through droplets in the air after someone sneezes or coughs, however, it can also be contracted by touching surfaces where the illness is present. The length of time the virus stays alive on surfaces isn't fully understood, but some viruses can remain active for days.
"Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death," the WHO says.
"Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing."
There is currently no vaccine for the sickness.
How can I protect myself?
avoid touching the mouth, nose and eyes with unwashed hands
washing your hands before eating
carrying a hand sanitiser at all times
being particularly mindful of touching your face after using public transport or going to the airport
carry tissues at all times to cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing (then dispose of it)
not eating shared or communal food
avoiding shaking hands, kissing cheeks
regularly cleaning and sanitise commonly used surfaces and items, such as phones and keys
avoiding close contact with people suffering from or showing symptoms of acute respiratory infection
seeking medical attention if you feel unwell.
An explainer on protecting yourself from coronavirus can be found here. Full information can also be found at Covid19.govt.nz
The Ministry of Health is reminding the public to get in touch with Healthline on 0800 358 5453 if they have symptoms or concerns.
