Story By: Conor Sheils, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

A top Belgian virologist who helped discover the Ebola virus has spoken of his hell with COVID-19 after contracting the virus in the UK.

Peter Piot – famous for his part in discovering the deadly Ebola virus – has spoken out about his brush with COVID-19 and the terrifying symptoms he felt while ill.

Piot believes he contracted the virus in the UK where he now holds down a position at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Describing the illness, he says that he was first struck down with a “high fever and a stabbing headache” on March 19.

He told local media: “It was bizarre as both my skull and my hair were in pain.

“I didn’t have a cough at the time but my gut feeling was ‘I have it’.

“I kept working – I’m a workaholic – but from home.”

Piot was unable to undergo a test on the NHS at the time but managed to receive one from a private hospital where he tested positive.

He isolated himself but his condition did not improve.

He added: “. . . the fever didn’t go away. I had never been seriously ill and have not had a day of sick leave in the past ten years. I live quite a healthy life and run regularly. The only risk factor for corona is my age – I am 71.”

He underwent further testing and later found he was suffering from a serious lung infection.

Speaking about his time in hospital he said: “I was scared, but luckily I first got an oxygen mask and that turned out to work. I ended up in an isolation room at the entrance to intensive care. You feel tired, so you rest. You completely surrender to nursing. You live in a routine from syringe to infusion and hope you make it. I am usually quite proactive in my behaviour, but here I was 100% patient.

“You sometimes lose scientific level-headedness and surrender to emotional reflections. They got me, I thought . . . . I have devoted my life to fighting viruses and finally they get their revenge. For a week I wavered between heaven and earth, on the edge of what could have been the end.”

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.